


Will and Nico

by wordsofink



Series: solangelo one-shots [7]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Bad guys, Bullying, Cats, Coming Out, Complete, County Fairs, Dances, Domestic Fluff, Empousa, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Flower Crowns, High School, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Bullying, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Violence, Injury, Jercy friendship, Kidnapping, M/M, Married Solangelo, Minor Character Death, Monsters, Nico di Angelo/Bryce Lawrence abuse, Nico di Angelo/Original Character abuse, Oblivious Will, Original Characters - Freeform, Pastries, Percy Jackson/Jason Grace friendship, Playgrounds, Poor Will, Pretty cliche, Prince!Will, Raising a Child, Royalty AU, Self-Defense, Shaving, Shovel Talk, Sleepy Boys, Soft Love, Some fighting, Sort of AU, Supportive Parenting, WWII AU, War, Werewolf!Will, Witch!Nico, baby maria, babysitter!Nico, bi!Percy, cat!hazel, crow rhyme, crow!bianca, father-son bonding, kind of a fairytale, life-changing moment, minor injury, mortal nico, new kid!will, oblivious hades, prince!Nico, realizing you're a demigod, rich!Nico, servant!will, sleepy solangelo, solangelo, solangelo family, solangelo parenting, superhero au, superhero!Nico, tech boy!will, toddler!will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-06 23:04:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 84,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14658081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsofink/pseuds/wordsofink
Summary: Please let me know if anything needs to be tagged.1: you're okay - will only tells one lie2: raising children - more maria moments3: dance or no dance? - high school dances and demigod life4: clueless - hades tries to play matchmaker5: eight for a kiss - prince will and witch nico6: leaves are falling, and so am i - rich nico and new kid will, high school au (tw for bullying)7: all's fair in love and war - sort of a wwii au8: let me help you - prince nico and servant will9: feline sad - nico loses his cat, will's a good friend10: snapshots (4) - featuring sleepy boys and a shaving mishap11: you're a demigod, will - will thinks he's a mortal12: sleepy - domestic solangelo13: secret identities - superhero au14: happiness - prince nico and servant boy will part 215: not a monster - nico's boyfriend is a demigod16: best friends - toddler will17: i'd love to - plans backfire and the truth remains (tw)18: jason's nephew - nico's not lonely19: full moon - werewolf will (tw)20: falling apart (tw)21: falling into place (tw) - part 2*characters are not mine unless stated*





	1. you're okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lies leave scars. Only, Will doesn't seem to have any scars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mention of blood and injury, minor character death, some angst
> 
> just a quick little thing to get back into the hang of writing :) I've missed these guys.

“Nico!” Will calls. Nico curses. He was supposed to meet Will for lunch today, and he’d completely forgotten. He gathers his things from the arena, washing his hands quickly before sitting down. He’d got bandages on three of his fingers, at least five more bandages on his arms and legs. Nico thinks Will’s become a bit obsessed with patching Nico up, but Nico’s not going to complain. Not when he has this handy excuse to see Will so often.

“Sorry,” Nico calls. “I got caught up in training.” Nico tenses for a moment, almost thinking that he's going to feel that precise sting of a cut appearing on his skin. But he doesn’t feel it.

Will just smiles at him. “It’s cool. I got out of the infirmary a bit early today. It seems like everyone’s still recovering from Capture the Flag.” Nico smiles. They’d had Capture the Flag a few nights ago, and Will had been stuck in the infirmary for three days trying to fix everyone up.

“There’s another game in a week or so,” Nico says. Will groans. “I think Athena is pairing with Ares, so that should be interesting. I haven’t decided who I’m siding with this time.”

“I think Apollo is going against Athena this time. I don’t know why we thought that was a good idea.” Nico shrugs. Sometimes the teams fell how they fell. Not much was fair in love and war.

Their conversation halts while they dig into their lunches. Nico’s hungry from training, and he can only guess that Will’s been up since sunrise. While Will wasn’t the morning person everyone thought he was, he still had pretty early shifts at the infirmary.

“Have you been using your Underworld-y powers?” Will asks suddenly. Nico had been so invested in his burger that he hadn’t realized Will was looking him over. He feels his face heat up a bit as he shakes his head. He barely flinches when he feels that tiny sting on his left shoulder. Will raises his eyebrows.

“I think you’re lying,” he says slowly. Nico shrugs.

“I only used them a little bit,” he says, feeling another sting. Will keeps looking at him. “Okay, so I raised a few skeletons. But I’m still standing. And I’m eating right now, so nothing bad will happen.” He huffs, pretending to be annoyed. He is a little, but it’s quickly overridden by the affection in Will’s eyes. Because Nico’s never had someone care for him like this. So while Will may be a bit overbearing at times, Nico knows it’s just because Will’s a giant worry-wart.

Will nods slowly. “Well, I guess that’s good. As long as you’re taking proper precautions.” He continues to look at Nico for a few more moments before taking another bite of his burger. “You’re doing a lot better than you were six months ago.”

Nico smiles. He’s proud of himself for how far he’s come. Just six months ago, he was in danger of fading out of existence. And now he could raise two skeletons and only have a giant appetite as a consequence. Will leans over, ruffling his hair. Nico kisses Will’s cheek, blushing.

Their relationship is still relatively new, but Nico can’t think anything makes him so happy. He’d have settled with being friends with Will, but being able to kiss him and hold his hand and make him blush was so much better. And Will seemed to enjoy it, too.

“Are you going to the campfire tonight?” Will asks. He’s finished his lunch, wiping his mouth. Nico takes a moment to admire Will’s unblemished skin. Only freckles covered his skin, no scars. It was such a rare thing. Especially for a demigod.

“Maybe. It depends on how tired I am.” Will laughs. Will wasn’t a morning person, and Nico wasn’t as much of a night owl as people thought, either. He took his sleep very seriously, making sure to get as much as he could.

“Well, I’d love to see you there.” Nico smiles, kissing Will’s cheek again as they scrape some food into the fire. They head back to Nico’s cabin, promptly flopping down onto the bed. Nico peels off his gross shirt, rummaging through his drawers for a clean one.

“Do you want a change of clothes?” Nico asks. Will’s still in his scrubs from the morning, and while Nico doesn’t mind, they aren’t as comfy as regular clothes.

Will shrugs. Nico’s learned that he’s very hesitant about having his shirt off around people. He’ll strip off his pants no problem, but he always changes his shirt in the bathroom. Nico’s not sure why, and he’s never figured out how to ask.

“I’m okay,” Will says. “They’re not too dirty.” Which was true. There was only a small splatter of something towards the hem of Will’s shirt. Nico didn’t want to know what it was.

“Do you have a lot of scars on your back?” Nico asks suddenly. He probably should have shut down that train of thought before it started.

Will shakes his head. “No,” he says. He doesn’t elaborate, and Nico’s got a feeling that he’s already stepped over the line. “I don’t have a lot of scars,” Will adds. Nico nods.

“It’s okay, Will. You don’t have to tell me,” Nico says. Even as he says it, he feels a tiny cut on his arm. He’s burning with curiosity, but maybe their relationship is still too new for this kind of information to be shared. Nico doesn’t know, but he doesn’t want to ruin what he’s got.

They settle on Nico’s bed, just cuddling. They’re facing each other, and Nico’s fingers trace over Will’s back while Will’s fingers trace Nico’s face. Nico smiles, but it’s gone when he feels the slight bump of something on Will’s back. He runs his fingers down a little more, feeling a soft ridge. Will tenses under his touch, moving away.

“Sorry,” Nico says.

Will smiles, nodding. “Curiosity killed the cat,” he says softly.

“But satisfaction brought it back,” Nico adds. Will nods again.

“Not today,” he says. He doesn’t promise to tell Nico later, but it’s there, Nico thinks. He nods. He’s not honestly sure why Will doesn’t have scars like everyone else does. There aren’t any paper cuts, any bruises. Nico doesn’t know how Will’s never lied before. But he trusts Will. Like most campers seem to do despite Will’s unmarked skin. Although, some are wary of him for that exact reason.

“Okay,” Nico says.  
-  
They’re going swimming, and Nico’s excited. It’s been forever since he’s swum, and he can’t wait for the refreshing feel of the water. He’s been training all morning, and he’s already sweaty and sticky. Nico steps out of his cabin in his black and pineapple printed swim trunks, a gift from Will.

Nico smiles at Will’s swim trunks, a pastel pink with little skulls on them. “I think the others are meeting us down there,” Will says. Nico nods, taking Will’s hand. Sure enough, Percy and the gang are already dotting the shores of the lake. Percy’s showing off while Jason and Annabeth are swimming. Piper’s applying sunscreen. Grover and Leo are already breaking into the picnic baskets.

“Nice shorts, dude!” Percy calls. Nico just rolls his eyes. He’s gotten over his crush on Percy, perfectly content with Will. And now he can enjoy Percy’s teasing without having to wonder if it’s flirting or just Percy being Percy. Nico’s glad. His back is littered with scars from that whole mess.

Nico peels off his shirt, taking a running leap into the lake. Will follows him, jumping in. He’s still wearing a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, but no one says anything. They’re all used to Will’s horrible fashion sense and his desire to always be wearing a shirt.

“I propose we play Marco Polo,” Piper says. They all play Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who has to close their eyes. Then Percy draws up some boundaries. Grover has to close his eyes first. Nico takes advantage of his ability to hold his breath, diving under the water whenever Grover gets too close. He hasn’t played this game in forever, but the rules are pretty simple.

Grover tags Jason. Jason complains that having to play without his glasses put him at a disadvantage, but everyone quickly pointed out that he didn’t need glasses to close his eyes. He puts his arms out like a zombie, calling Marco so often that he tagged Percy pretty quickly.

“Splashing people does not count as a counterattack,” Jason splutters. “That’s not fair!” Percy just laughs.

“No more splashing unless you’re just creating a distraction,” Annabeth says. She’s rolling her eyes as the two boys splash each other, each getting mouthfuls of lake water.

They play a few more rounds of Marco Polo before everyone decides to just float around. Percy and Annabeth race each other. Nico and Will just tread water.

“You put on sunscreen, right?” Will asks. Nico smiles. Underneath his freckles, Will’s getting a bit red.

“No, did you?”

Will nods. “Yeah, but I should probably reapply. My face is feeling a bit warm.” Nico nods. They get out of the water, drying off. Will’s shirt clings to him, and Nico can’t help but almost stare.

“Like what you see?” Will teases.

“Very much,” Nico says. Will laughs. He glances out to the lake where everyone’s still hanging out in the water. Then he ducks towards the trees. Nico frowns, following him a bit. He doesn’t realize what Will’s doing until he’s got his shirt halfway off. Nico’s eyes widen as he sees the giant scar on Will’s back. It ran from his shoulder blades down half of his back. It was mostly healed now, just the edges a faint red. It was paler than Will’s complexion, and Nico could tell that it’d taken multiple cuts to make it this large.

“Nico,” Will says, freezing. He looks almost terrified, quickly pulling his sopping wet shirt back over him.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Nico says. He knows he’s not lying, and he’s relieved when he doesn’t feel the pinpricks. “I just- I didn’t know.”

“Only a few of my siblings know,” Will says slowly. “To make sure it’s not infected and whatnot.” Nico nods.

“I’m sorry,” Nico says. He can’t remember if he’s said that already. “I’ll go now.” He turns around, Will’s face still somewhat terrified.

“Nico,” he says. “I’m not mad. It’s just, people aren’t always trusting until they understand. But it’s also not their business.” Nico nods. He doesn’t quite understand, but he’s willing to wait until Will’s open to explaining it. If Will’s open to explaining it.

“Okay,” Nico says. “I’ll just be getting food.” Will offers him a small smile, and Nico thinks they’re going to be okay.  
-  
Nico’s awoken by a clamor of sounds. There’s shouting and the sounds of fighting. Quickly, Nico gets out of bed, hurrying around his cabin. He makes sure to at least grab pants and shoes before grabbing his sword. He’s not surprised to see monsters on the borders, a few hellhounds. He rushes to hold them off as a satyr scurries by, a mess of blood and flesh in his arms.

Other campers join Nico to fight off the hellhounds. Even though Nico’s just woken up, his instincts kick in. He’s fought hellhounds before, and he knows where their weaknesses are. He knows how they fight, where to strike, what to do. He gives orders, organizing the still sleepy campers.

It only takes about twenty minutes for them to fight off the hellhounds. They send out scouts to make sure that there aren’t any other demigods out there, any more monsters. They come back with nothing, which Nico thinks is good. Except, he feels death near, and he can’t stop seeing that satyr’s skin covered in blood.

He hurries to the infirmary, which is in ordered chaos. Kayla’s barking orders while medics are scurrying around. They’re attending to the satyr, to a few other demigods Nico had missed in the fighting, a little girl. The satyr is rambling as they dress his wounds.

“Her name is Sydney,” he says. “She’s a daughter of Demeter. Got claimed right as we made it to the border. Such bad luck, I guess. I couldn’t fight them off.” He keeps talking until they knock him out to sew some stitches. Nico keeps a low profile as he walks through the infirmary. He can feel death in the air, but he’s not sure where it’s coming from. Someone he doesn’t know.

He looks at the three demigods who’d been on the quest. They were bloodied and bruised, but they were fine.

And then he gets to the back room where Will’s running around, hooking things up and singing. His hands are glowing, and he’s mumbling quickly underneath his breath. The girl is laying fitfully on the bed, blood pouring out of her side. She’s got scratches on her face, a large gash on her leg. She can’t be more than ten, but she’s dying.

“Will,” Nico says softly. Will looks up, his prayers halting. He meets Nico’s eyes, nodding slowly. Then he drops his medical equipment, moving to cradle the girl in his arms. She whimpers, clinging to him. Her eyes are unfocused, but Nico can tell she knows Will’s there.

“You’re okay,” Will says softly. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. You’re gonna be alright.” Will keeps repeating his mantra as the girl’s face pales, her grip slackening. Will kisses her forehead, prayers and assurances still pouring forth. He closes her eyelids as her breath becomes air. He holds her a little longer before setting her down.

As he turns, Nico can see blood staining his back. And he understands. Will’s only lie. The lie of a medic.

Will collapses in Nico’s arms as Kayla and a few other medics come in to clean up the body for the funeral. Nico leads Will outside, sitting down in the grass. He doesn’t know what to say, so he just holds Will. He thinks that maybe they should tend to Will’s wound, but Will’s clinging to Nico like that little girl was just seconds ago. And Nico doesn’t have the heart to untangle his fingers.

“You’re okay, Will,” Nico whispers. “You did your best. You did all you could.” Nico waits for the sting, for that uncomfortable prickling. But it doesn’t come. Because Will’s always tried his best, always given his all. He’s never let someone die that he could save.

“You’re going to be okay,” Nico says. He kisses Will’s cheek. “You’re going to be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi :)
> 
> I'm sort of back. I still don't know how much time I'll have to write, but I'm going to give it a shot. (Because I've really missed this.) So, basically, my inbox is open again. But please keep in mind that I won't be posting as quickly as I have been in the past. It'll probably now take me a few days to complete a prompt at the minimum and responses might be a bit slow starting next week. Also, no updates on Sundays as I'm not allowed to have technology (computer/phone/internet) then.
> 
> Thank you!


	2. raising children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a continuation of 'two daddies' with Maria and her two dads
> 
> (can be read alone)
> 
> previous: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14423076/chapters/33566409

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: mentions of bullying

Nico and Will are both watching their daughter. Not in the creepy way. But in a loving and concerned way. Because Maria isn’t smiling or laughing or talking to them. Instead, she hopped off the bus and went straight into her room. She didn’t come out until dinner time when Nico announces that he’d made her favorite chicken dish.

Nico kicks Will’s leg under the table. His husband is always more gentle when it comes to prying. Nico is known for being a bit more straightforward. And while Maria knows this, Nico is thinking that maybe she needs a little gentler touch this time.

“How was school?” Will asks.

Maria shrugs. “Same as always. It was fine. I’ve got some homework to finish.”

Will nods. “How about that friend of yours? How’s Ben doing?”

Ben is Maria’s only friend at the moment. In elementary school, she’d had a few girl friends, but they’d all kind of moved on to hanging out with other people. Not that Nico cared too much. He’d always found those girls to be a bit too squeaky and squeamish. (And he didn’t even want to get started on their parents.)

But Ben was good. He was a son of Hephaestus, and he was as good with people as he was with tools. He was always fiddling with stuff, good at math, and Maria seemed to adore him. Will also loved him. Nico was catching on. He wasn’t convinced yet that Ben didn’t have a slight crush on Maria.

“Ben’s good. He’s working on a robot right now. Because he wants to join the high school robotics team next year. And apparently you’ve got to already have a robot or something to show.” Will nods along as Maria launches into an explanation that sounds relatively memorized about what the robot will be able to do and how.

“Sounds like he’s got it all figured out,” Will says. Maria nods, sighing.

“What’s wrong?” Will asks. “Did the cafeteria serve those chicken nugget things again?”

This gets a small smile out of Maria. She shakes her head. Will glances over at Nico. Ever since Maria started middle school, she wasn’t coming home smiling anymore. Instead, she’d lock herself in her room. She didn’t go to school events. She only hung out with Ben.

At first, they’d chalked it up to puberty. But after consulting Piper and Annabeth, they decided that puberty was just part of it. They’d tried asking Maria, asking Ben. They’d even offered to talk to her teachers. But Maria merely shook her head, sighing. She was so different from their headstrong daughter who had made a classroom of little kids cry.

“They served tacos today,” Maria says. “Only marginally better. But they did have cheese.” She pauses, looking down at her plate.

“You can tell us anything, you know, sweetheart,” Will gently prompts. He reaches across the table to take her hand.

Maria nods, moving so that she’s now hugging Will tightly. “The kids at school keep whispering behind my back. They don’t want to be my friend, and they don’t like me.”

“Are they hurting you?” Nico asks. He’s upset that he didn’t hear about this sooner.

“No, not like that. They just ignore me and make jokes and stuff.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal, but she’s still hugging Will. Will rubs her back.

“Do you know why?” Will asks softly.

Maria takes a moment to answer. “Because I have two dads. Because I don’t have a mom.” Nico grips his fork. He knew kids could be mean, but he also knows that a lot of kids got these ideas from their parents.

“Beat them up,” he says simply. Maria blinks at him. “No one hurts my daughter and gets away with it. And if you don’t want to fight, I’ll do it myself,” he adds.

Will sighs, squeezing Nico’s hand. “You don’t have to fight anyone, Maria. We can talk to your teachers. Does Ben know?”

Maria shrugs. “Yeah, but I’m not going to ask him to beat people up. But I guess he could always make his robot do it.” She kisses Will’s cheek, hugging Nico.

“Well, just know that they’re trying to be mean, okay? They might just be jealous. You’re not ashamed of us, are you?” Maria shakes her head, eyes wide.

“Of course not, Dad.” Will smiles. “And I know you two do your best. And I love you guys so much. It’s just annoying that the other kids care so much that I don’t have a mom.”

“Just know that both of your dads love you very much. And that we’re always here for you.” Maria gives them a small smile.

“Thanks, Dad. Papa.” Nico kisses her cheek.

They clear the table, moving to wash the dishes. Maria’s doing her homework at the table now, her pencil tapping against her chin as she works. Nico thinks it’s just a bit too bad that she mostly inherited Will’s healing powers. He’d like to know how brave some kids were in the face of actual skeletons and zombies.

“She’ll be okay,” Will says as he and Nico are getting ready for bed. “She’s strong, and she knows we love her.”

Nico nods. “I still think we should just beat them up.”

Will rolls his eyes. “I know, but it’s her call.”

Nico huffs as Will kisses his cheek.

Two days later, they’re being called into the principal’s office. Maria is sitting in front of the desk, a scrape on her knee. Will looks like he wants to check over her, but he stops himself. Because she’s smiling. (Just a small, shy one.)

The principal is not. She gestures for them to sit down before detailing the afternoon. Apparently, Maria had gotten into a fight that had resulted in a broken hand and a black eye. Parents had been notified. Maria had come out of the scrape just fine.

“We do not permit fighting at this school,” she says, folding her hands on her desk.

“It was self-defense,” Maria says. “They’ve been bullying me. And I was just standing up for myself.” She’s pulled the smile off her face, her eyes wide now.

“But a fight is a fight,” the principal says. “The other kids are also being punished. It’s not just you.”

“Excuse me, ma’am,” Nico says. “What I’m hearing is that you’re going to punish my daughter for standing up for herself. If those other kids hadn’t attacked her, she wouldn’t have had to defend herself.”

The principle glances at Will. He just takes Nico’s hand. “We do not permit fighting.”

“So, you do allow bullying, though?” Will asks. “Because this has been happening for a while, and as far as I’ve seen, nothing has been done to stop it.”

The principal doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then she glances at the papers on her desk before looking at Maria. Nico’s going to call a zombie into this office before Maria gets in trouble for defending herself.

“Very well. No more fighting. I’ll take care of the other kids. But this better not happen again.” She makes a hand gesture that means to dismiss them. Maria holds their hands on the way out.

“Thank you,” she whispers when they get in the car. “I didn’t mean to break his hand. But Papa showed me that move the other day. And it worked. I think we were both surprised.”

“Wipe that smug smile off of your face, Nico,” Will says, but there isn’t any bite. Nico just sticks out his tongue. “I don’t agree with fighting, but I hope that no one messes with you again.” He squeezes Maria’s hand.

“Maybe we should start karate. Or tae kwon do,” Nico says. “We could train together.” He sees Will rolls his eyes as Maria joins in on the conversation.

“I think Ben should come, too,” she says. “Maybe he can train his robot.” Will sighs. Nico just pats his shoulder.

“She’s going to be okay, Will.” Will nods. He knows that Maria’s going to be more than okay. But now he’s a bit worried for her classmates.  
-  
“Should I have that fog effect?” Nico asks. “Or I could have a skeleton dude open the door when he gets here.”

“None of that,” Maria says as she comes into the kitchen. She kisses both her dads on the cheek. “He’s already nervous enough. It’s not like you two don’t have legacies.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “Well, that was then,” he says. “It’s not like I’m out there fighting monsters all the time now. I’ve mellowed out a bit.”

Maria rolls her eyes. “No scaring him, Papa,” she says. “Be nice. I bet Nana was so nice when you met her.”

Nico shivers a little at the memory of meeting Will’s family. While meeting Apollo was weird, it was a walk in the park compared to meeting Naomi. Nico had been so nervous. But in the end, Naomi loved him, and now she sent him cookies for his birthday.

“She was lovely,” Nico says. “But she didn’t have anything to worry about either.”

Maria makes a face. “And what’s so worrying about Daniel?”

“He gave you an ear of corn as an anniversary gift,” Nico splutters. That corn plant was now growing on their balcony. “And he’s also the son of Ceres. Just because it’s her Roman name doesn’t make her not crazy.”

Maria shrugs. “So? He’s not crazy.” Nico huffs as Will comes over to rub his shoulders.

“I know you and Demeter don’t always get along. But we’re going to do this as best we can for Maria. Okay?”

Nico sighs. He’d do anything for Maria. Even be nice to her boyfriend.

She’d met Daniel when she was sixteen, just this year. He was a nice kid, Nico would give him that. He was always talking about plants, and he smelled of fresh rain. And he was also super sweet to Maria and polite to Will and Nico. And he remembered Maria’s birthday and got her flowers (and that corn plant) for their two month anniversary.

“Fine. I won’t scare Daniel on purpose. But if he ever hurts you, I’m not going to be held responsible for the next war.” Maria rolls her eyes.

“Yes, Papa.”

Daniel brings more flowers when he arrives, quickly explaining the medicinal properties of them. Will becomes absorbed in the talk, ushering Daniel in while Maria gets a vase. Nico focuses on dinner.

They’re having lasagne because he was too lazy to make anything else. He takes note of what Daniel’s wearing: a button-down shirt and jeans. He’s got his brown hair gelled back a little. His eyes follow Maria around the room. Nico finds that a little endearing.

Daniel’s Maria’s first boyfriend, and that’s maybe why Nico’s so wary of him. It’s very rare that anyone ends up with their first love; heartbreak is inevitable. And Nico’s definitely not ready for that yet. But he’s also with Will, who was his second crush and first real love. So there is hope. And even though he’s promised to be on his best behavior, he’s still got a shovel talk planned.

They sit down around the table, all saying a blessing to the gods. Then they eat. Maria catches them up on her day before launching into a story of something Ben did during their study session. Daniel laughs in all the right places.

Then they ask Daniel some basic questions. They’ve technically met him before, but it wasn’t more than a quick hi. This was the official meet and greet. And so far it was going well.

Daniel compliments Nico on his cooking and Will on his interior design skills. Will talks about some of his patients, how he met this cute little girl the other day that reminded him of Maria. Nico tells them about work, but it’s not quite as exciting. Talking design plans for brochures and posters isn’t exactly what people make small talk of. But he doesn’t care; he loves his job.

“So, how do you feel about children?” Will asks. Maria shoots him a glare. Daniel looks surprised. He manages not to choke on his food before answering.

“Like, in general? Or having kids?”

“Either,” Will says. He shrugs, like the question has no weight.

“Well, I babysit my nieces sometimes. And that’s pretty fun. I’m not sure about having kids. I am only sixteen, sir.” Will nods.

Nico glances over at Will. Will just shrugs, kissing his cheek. “Who wants dessert?”

Maria heads into the kitchen to grab the brownies Nico had made earlier. Nico hears the water turn on as she begins to soak the lasagne pan. He asks Will to take their dishes to the sink. Will kisses his cheek before collecting the plates.

“You really like her?” Nico asks. Daniel nods.

“Yes, sir.” There’s a blush on his cheeks, even though he looks slightly terrified. Nico leans his elbows on the table, smiling.

“Well, then, you’ll know that we love our daughter. And we’re not going to let anything stop her from achieving her dreams. Not even a boy. So, one wrong move, and you’re gone.” Daniel does a quick nod, his gaze a little less sure now.

“And don’t forget that I know how to neatly remove someone’s heart,” Will says. He’s casually holding a scalpel now. Nico knows he’s just putting it away from being washed, but Daniel doesn’t. He glances at it, blinking. “But the neat way is just to eliminate blood loss and serious infection.” Will smiles. “Of course, I could also make it look like an accident.”

“But that’s just if you hurt her,” Nico says. “So don’t.”

He can’t tell if Daniel’s going o make it to dinner, but then Maria comes in. “Oh, stop, you two!” She swats at Will’s arm. “Seriously, Dad. Go put that in your bag. And, Papa. You promised!”

Nico shrugs. “Couldn’t help myself.” He pauses. “Also, that’d better be some great corn.”

Maria sighs. “Don’t listen to them. It’s all true, but I can take care of myself.” Nico stifles a giggle. Maria could be just as blunt as Nico at times. “They may know how to raise an army of zombies and how to make your death look like an accident, but they also taught me about healthy relationships.”

She leans forward, kissing Daniel’s cheek. He blushes, glancing at Nico. “And it’s important not to threaten people,” Maria says, glaring at her dads. “I would apologize for them, but that’s implying that they won’t do that again. Which they probably will. So sorry about that.”

Daniel shrugs. “I’m just glad I haven’t seen a skeleton yet.” Maria laughs.

“They’re in the closet, you know. I made Papa put them up for company.” Daniel looks like he can’t quite figure out if it’s a joke or not, so he gives a small laugh.

Will reaches across the table, offering a handshake and a brownie. “Ooh, a corner piece,” Maria says. “He must really like you.”


	3. dance or no dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> High school dances and the daily life of a demigod

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, the title isn't that great

So there was a dance coming up at school. Apparently. Because somehow Nico had missed the posters that were literally everywhere and all of the announcements. He guesses he’s been too busy just simply trying to adjust to actually going to school. He’s never been to high school before, and, despite what the movies portrayed, it was not a dancing-and-singing musical. Which he was very grateful for.

Instead, it was much like how he thinks a prison would be. But a prison that hosted dances instead of visits and gave out detention slips instead of court dates. Or whatever prisons gave out. Nico wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like he’d ever been to prison.

“You should ask Landon,” Beth whispers to him. Nico makes a face, shaking his head. Landon was a basketball player, and he was nice. But he wasn’t Nico’s type. Now that Nico knew what his type was. “Or maybe Jonathan?”

“I have a boyfriend,” Nico says, sighing. It’s about the tenth time he’s said it, and Beth still doesn’t seem to understand what he means. According to her, most of the school thinks Nico’s lying. And the very small percentage that does believe him, has the completely wrong picture of Will.

“That rebel punk guy? Because you could do better,” Beth says. Nico sighs again. He isn’t exactly sure what he’s said about Will that gives everyone the impression that he wears a leather jacket and likes to graffiti buildings. Or that he likes to smoke and cut classes. That he owns a motorcycle. But it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

(Nico knows Will doesn’t wear leather because he prefers warmer jackets and softer material. That he doesn’t have artistic talent and considers smoking to be a death sentence. And that he’s terrified of riding a motorcycle.)

“He’s not a rebel punk guy. He’s Will,” Nico says. He doesn’t bother explaining again that Will wants to be a doctor, that he’s usually dressed in bright colors, and that he thinks juice tastes better from a box than a bottle. “And if I go to the dance, that’s who I’m going with.”

Beth just shrugs like she’s not going to argue with him. He can tell she doesn’t believe him. “Okay. But if you want to ask Landon out, I think you’d better do it soon. I heard Hailey had her eyes on him.”

At least they don’t tease him for being gay, Nico thinks. Will had told him that a lot of people were becoming more open to the fact that not everyone was straight and cis. But he still hadn’t been so sure. While everyone at camp was mostly warm and welcoming, camp was very different from the real world. For instance, regular teenagers bonded over loads of homework and coffee choices. Demigods bonded over monsters they’d battled and how their godly parents were always starting wars.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Nico says. Beth beams. Then she launches into how she’s planning on asking out Paul, a cute guy she’s had her eyes on for months.

A week later, Nico’s still not sure he wants to go to this dance. It’s not prom, which he’s heard is an even bigger deal. But it’s a high school dance, which is way better than middle school dances. So if he goes, he’ll have to bring a date. Or else he’ll look like a loser. Apparently. (Beth is his main mode of bridging the gap, so he’s not sure if his information is a bit biased.)

“I think you should go if you want to,” Will says when Nico tells him about it. “School dances can be fun. They usually have good food.”

Nico rolls his eyes. There are a million places to get good food in New York. He doesn’t have to come to school on a Friday night to get good food. “Yeah, but what about the dancing? And the dressing up?”

Will laughs. “I know you know how to dance. And your dad gave you that suit for your birthday.” Nico groans at that. Hades had given him a suit for his birthday. He isn’t sure why, except that maybe his father is one of those who believes that a man should always have a suit on hand. “And I’m sure if you don’t want to go alone, we could find someone to go with you.”

Nico can hear the tease in Will’s voice. “Will, would you like to go to the dance with me?” Nico asks in a monotone.

“I’d love to go with you, Nico,” Will says, his voice sickeningly sweet. Nico rolls his eyes.

“Thanks, sunshine.” He pauses. “You should come and pick me up from school that day or something. So we can hang out. Before the dance.”

“Whatever you say,” Will says. They exchange time and dates so that Will can make sure he has a plane ticket. At the beginning of the year, Will’s mom had given him an allowance for visiting Nico. It was part of Will’s idea so that Nico wouldn’t have to use his Underworld-y powers too often. And also a way for Will to stop begging his mom to drive him up to see Nico.

“Love you, sunshine,” Nico says when they’ve run out of things to say. Silences in person weren’t awkward for them. But it was harder when they couldn’t see each other. (Neither of them really liked using phones. )Nico can’t wait until Will gets here. It’s only been a few months, but he’s missed Will.  
-  
It’s the Friday of the dance, and Nico’s nervous. Beth keeps shooting him looks as his leg bounces underneath his desk. He’s sure part of this is his ADHD kicking in. The other part is that he’s both nervous and excited to see Will. He’s nervous because he’s not sure what’s going to happen. He’s excited because it’s Will. And everything is better with Will. He hopes, even awkward high school dances.

The last bell rings just as Nico’s phone buzzes. Will’s waiting in the courtyard. Nico rolls his eyes. Of course, his boyfriend would be able to find the sunniest spot on campus. He’s probably laying in the grass right now. Even though it’s October.

Nico rushes through the halls, barely grabbing his books from his locker. Beth raises an eyebrow at him. “Don’t you usually go this way?” she asks, pointing towards the front door. Nico doesn’t answer. Beth huffs, following him. Nico wishes she didn’t have her yearbook club on Fridays because then she’d have to catch the bus. Instead, she follows him to the courtyard.

Nico can already hear the whispers about the random guy making sun angels in the courtyard. Nico smiles when he spots Will, already decked out in a winter jacket. His blond hair is in his eyes, his arms and legs splayed out. A few other people have also taken notice of Will. Namely, a girl named Jasmine who vaguely reminds Nico of Drew.

She’s twirling her hair around her fingers now, pulling out all of the classic flirtation moves. Nico’s eyes narrow as he watches her, but he’s not sure exactly what to do. Jasmine moves to sit down next to Will, tapping his arm. He blinks up at her, a smile forming on his face. Jasmine grins back.

“Hey, cutie,” she says. “Are you new?”

“Nope,” Will says. “Just here to meet my boyfriend.” He hasn’t glanced in Nico’s direction yet, and Nico’s still frozen in the doorway to the courtyard. Beth is standing next to him, watching him closely.

“Did you know that there’s a dance tonight?” Jasmine asks. She blinks her eyes a few times. Nico’s not quite sure how that’s supposed to be flattering. It looks more like she’s got something stuck in her eye.

“I’ve heard,” Will says. He yawns, running a hand through his hair. If Nico didn’t know him so well, he’d think Will was flirting. Because he does know Will so well, he knows that Will’s actually getting a bit uncomfortable. Will subtly inches away, drawing his legs closer to his body, sitting up.

“Well, I was wondering. I don’t suppose you’d want to come with me.” She trails her fingers down Will’s arm. He pulls back.

“Sorry,” he says, his smile tight. “I’ve got a boyfriend. And he’d be super disappointed if I didn’t take him.” Will glances around, looking for a way out when he spots Nico. Nico’s eyes lock with Will’s, and then he feels jealousy coursing through him.

“That’s right,” Nico says, marching up to Will. Will gives him a small smile. “Will and I are going to the dance tonight. So I suggest you ask someone else.”

Jasmine pouts, blinking again. “Now you’re just making things up, Nico. Will’s too soft to be your boyfriend.”

At this, Will huffs. Nico doesn’t like people insulting his boyfriend. Only he can do that. Nico glares at Jasmine. “He’s my boyfriend, and we’re going to the dance together,” Nico says. Jasmine looks like she’s going to say something, but something behind Nico catches her attention. Nico doesn’t break his glare.

“Hey, Nico,” Will says quietly. He taps Nico’s shoulder, squeezing his hand. “It was just a misunderstanding,” he adds. Nico raises an eyebrow. It wasn’t a misunderstanding. Jasmine was trying to steal Will away from him! “Nico,” Will says. This time more firmly. Nico huffs, turning to look at Will.

Will cups his face. “You’re scaring people,” he says, smiling a little. It’s then that Nico notices that he’s been drawing the shadows out. They stretch across the courtyard, creeping closer to Jasmine who has now sought protection from her friends. Nico blinks, and the shadows recede.

Nico nods. “Don’t mess with my boyfriend,” he says. Then he grabs Will’s hand and leaves.  
-  
“Didn’t know you loved me so much,” Will teases once they’re walking down the street. Nico shrugs.

“Some people are jerks, you know?” Will laughs, pulling Nico in for a kiss.

“Do you feel tired, though? Or dizzy? No fading, right?” Will grabs Nico’s hands to check them over. A few people on the sidewalk give them weird looks. Will doesn’t seem to notice them. Nico rolls his eyes.

“I’m fine, Will. They were just small shadows. I hardly noticed it.” He still accepts the granola bar that Will’s pulled out of his bag. He isn’t tired, but he also hasn’t used his powers in a while. He munches on the bar while Will tells him every detail of the trip. By the time they get to camp, Nico’s learned a great deal about a guy named Randy Mason, also known as Will’s seat partner.

Camp in the fall isn’t too much different than camp in the summer. Except, there are fewer people, fewer activities, colder weather. Chiron and Mr. D are still there. Nico sets his stuff down in his cabin, gesturing for Will to do the same. He’s only brought a small bag with him as he’s only staying the weekend. Nico wishes that the dance had fallen on a holiday so Will could stay longer.

“So, how’s life?” Will asks. He flops down on the bed, looking up at Nico.

“Same as always,” Nico says. “Percy and Annabeth visited last weekend.” He catches Will up on the mundanity of camp without its usual fill of demigods and monster attacks. “It’s been pretty quiet, I guess. Not that I mind.”

Will hums. He pulls Nico down for another kiss, smiling when Nico’s fingers tangle in his hair. “So, that dance tonight. Any special theme?”

“Something Halloween, I think. Maybe a masquerade? I’m not sure.” Nico thinks he should have paid more attention to the details, but he was really just excited that Will would be visiting. The dance had been more of an excuse to have Will visit. But now he kind of wants to go.

“I’m sure we could find some masks,” Will says. “Although, that means I won’t be able to see your pretty face.”

Nico blushes, rolling his eyes. He’s smiling, though, and Will’s smiling back. “I’ve missed you,” Nico says. “Long-distance relationships suck.”

Will nods. “But we’re still luckier than most people. Most people can’t shadow-travel.”

Nico laughs. “Yes, but the few who can have limitations,” Nico says.

“For your health!” Nico kisses Will again. He’s about to propose that they take a shower when there’s a knock on the door.

“Monsters have been spotted in downtown,” comes a voice. “Chiron requested you round up a team to take care of them.” Nico groans. That must have been good enough of an answer because he hears the guy leave. He turns to Will.

“Go save the world,” Will teases. “I’ll be waiting right here.”

Nico kisses Will again before grabbing his stuff. Will sneaks a bottle of Gatorade into Nico’s bag. Then he’s off. He’s grabbed a daughter of Ares and a son of Athena. They’re both pretty good at combat, which is good as camp is low on resources.

He’s upset to find that the monsters are just a group of empousa who wanted to go to a dance. There are four of them, so the battle is a little unbalanced. But Nico’s been training, and both Rita and Freddy are good fighters. The battle itself doesn’t take too long. Nico’s got a few new cuts and scrapes, and the others don’t look any worse. The monsters dissolve in a puff of yellow, and Nico’s covered in it.

“Gross,” Freddy says. He tries wiping it off. Now Nico really needs a shower. And he’s got about two hours until the dance. He doesn’t understand why high school dances start so early. Wasn’t there some rule about midnight?

Nico shadow-travels them back to the camp borders, letting them walk themselves in. Will’s waiting for him with a bottle of Gatorade and a first-aid kit. Nico smiles, letting Will check him over as they walk back to his cabin.

“Are you still up for the dance?” Will asks. “It’s okay if we don’t go. I mean, I brought some movies and snacks. We could just eat food and cuddle all evening.”

Nico debates. Right now, he just wants to shove his face into a plate of food. But he makes himself take a shower first. Monster blood isn’t exactly the best seasoning. Then he lets Will fix up his cuts, even though they’ve already scabbed over.

“Mind if we eat dinner first?” Nico asks. They head to the dining pavilion, happy to see that it’s taco night. Nico gets three tacos into his stomach while Will just watches him. “I’m hungry,” Nico says.

“I couldn’t tell,” Will laughs. “You should save room for dessert.”

Nico shrugs, eating another taco before grabbing a handful of cookies. He lets Will have two while he eats the rest. “And now I don’t feel like doing much of anything,” Nico says. “Except, maybe a lot of kissing and cuddling.”

Will laughs. “You know, the next time you want me to visit, you could just ask. No need to go to a dance or patch you up after a fight.”

“But you enjoy those things,” Nico says. He’s mostly kidding, but he does know that Will feels a sense of pride in being able to patch him up. And he happens to know that Will loves the cheesy high school events.

“Well, my school is having a Christmas dance. So you can come to that,” Will says. “Everyone’s been itching to meet my boyfriend. I’ve told them so many great things about you. Like how amazing you are. And how hot I think it is when you raise armies of dead guys.”

Nico swats at Will. “You didn’t.”

“I did. But they thought that was creepy.” Will shrugs. Nico can’t tell if Will’s telling the truth or not, but he doesn’t really care.

“You’d better have brought good snacks,” he says instead. “Or else we’re going to be sneaking into that dance. I hear they have good food.”

Will laughs, standing up. “I brought those cheese ball things,” he says. Nico’s eyes widen. He loves those things. “Race you back to the cabin. First one there gets dibs.” Then he takes off. Nico counts to ten while he watches Will race down the hill. Then he dissolves into the shadows.

He’s already rifling through Will’s bag when Will throws open the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated :)


	4. clueless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades tries to set Nico up with a girl.

Nico had been through many awkward experiences in his life. In fact, he just kind of expected them now. The gods were probably too bored to think about how he was feeling, and he’d gotten tired of fighting them for a more decent fate. He’d run out into a battle in his underwear, forgotten to pack any shirts on a quest once, kind of sort of told his crush that he liked him. And many more. He chalked this up to the fact that he was a teenager and a demigod. Sometimes asking for a normal life was just too much.

So this is how he finds himself in the Fields of Asphodel. Hades had called Nico down to the Underworld in hopes of doing some father-son bonding. It was a new plan of Hades, to try and hang out with Nico every now and then. They’ve sorted souls, walked three blocks downtown New York, had coffee. They had even played fetch with Cerberus one afternoon.

But none of that was as awkward or as weird as what they were doing now. Which was searching the Fields for a girl to talk to. Looking back on it, it wasn’t like Hades was supposed to automatically know that Nico was gay. It never came up in conversation, and Nico was careful from years of hiding to never let slip of his former crush on Percy Jackson and current crush on Will Solace.

“Do you do this often?” Nico asks. Hades seems perfectly content just walking through the fields. He waved to some of the souls, ignored others. His eyes moved back and forth, determined. Nico was appreciative that Hades was trying to do some bonding, but he’d rather that they play with Cerberus or go find a cafe again. Even if the general vibe of death and decay Hades gave off caused many mortals to feel uncomfortable.

“Not really,” Hades says. “But there are just so many souls down here that don’t really have much to do.” He shrugs. “It’s not like it’s supposed to be fun down here, though.”

“They can’t die of boredom,” Nico points out. Hades raises his eyebrows. He looks like he’s trying to decide whether or not to laugh. Hades wasn’t quite caught up on the modern form of humor. Or any humor at all. But he was trying. “What are we doing exactly?”

If they were just visiting, Hades has already passed up quite a few souls that looked willing to chat. But it didn’t seem like they were just visiting. Instead, Hades kept walking, and Nico followed.

“Looking for girls,” Hades says. Nico frowns. Yes, he knows that his father has the reputation of a dead and creepy guy. But he didn’t think that extended to hunting girls out. Especially dead girls. Though, that was probably better than living girls.

“Why?” Nico asks. “I don’t think Persephone would like that.”

Hades straightens up, looking at Nico. “For you,” he says. “And, yes, Persephone would kill me. Probably stay an extra few months just to get on my nerves.” Hades sounds grumpy, but he’s got a fond smile on his face. Nico knows the stories that the mortals are told, but if they could just see the two of them in a room, they’d know that Hades and Persephone were happy together.

“Wait. We’re looking for a girl for me. Why?”

“Because kids are dating now, right?” Hades asks. “You’re fifteen. A perfect time to find a girlfriend. And you don’t seem too interested in any of your camp friends. So I thought maybe someone from your own time would be a better match. We’re almost there,” he adds.

Nico sighs, not sure if he should say something. He hasn’t really thought about telling Hades that he’s gay. It was kind of a conversation he’s trying to avoid, actually. Not because he doesn’t think Hades would be supportive but because they weren’t exactly all that close. And also, Hades might do something weird like stalk the Fields of Asphodel for fifteen-year-old boys for Nico to date.

“Dad, we don’t really have to do this,” Nico says. “I mean, yes, some of my friends are dating. But they’re a bit older than me. So it’s not a big deal.”

Hades turns to look at Nico. “Are you sure? I’ve talked to some of the girls down here. They seemed very happy to meet you.” He’s got this hopeful look on his face that Nico’s not sure he can say no to right now. His and Hades’s relationship is still in the early stages, where neither is quite sure what to say to the other, not quite sure where the boundaries are.

“I guess we could meet some,” Nico says. “But I’m not promising to date any of them.”

Hades shrugs. “It took me years to find the right woman,” he says. “I’m just kickstarting the process.” He’s got a kind of smile on his face now.

“Right,” Nico says. If he’d known that his father had been talking him up, he’d have worn something different today. Although, it shouldn’t really matter. Since he wasn’t interested in girls, no matter how eager they were to meet him.

“This is Mary,” Hades says. He looks proud of himself as he stands next to a thin girl. She’s got long, dark hair that’s curled at the ends and a dress that could have once been blue.

“Hi,” Mary says. She smiles at Nico, bowing a bit. “It’s so nice to meet you. Lord Hades has said so much about you.” She moves forward to press her hand into his. Nico’s not sure what to do so he kisses her knuckles. She blushes, her skin gaining color.

Nico glances at Hades. Is he supposed to offer her a date? Talk to her? He doesn’t want to be rude, but he also doesn’t want to lead this girl on. Hades shrugs at him. Nico ends up spending the next twenty minutes talking to this girl. She tells him of her family, her dog, how she died. Nico’s not sure this is how most meet-and-greets go, but he’s glad when she starts yawning.

“Sorry,” she says. “It’s been a while since I’ve done so much.”

Nico nods, excusing himself to let her rest. Hades looks at him. “No?” he asks. “There are two more that I think could be a good match.” Nico just nods. He thinks he should tell Hades that he’s gay, but he’s not sure how to do it. And he doesn’t really want the audience of the entire Fields of Asphodel.

“Teresa,” Hades says when they get to a girl who’s just slightly taller than Nico. Her short hair is blond and pulled back with clips. She’s got a wide smile on her face, showing off her buck teeth and green eyes.

“Um, hi,” Nico says. He goes through the motions again, sitting down and talking with her. Teresa is a bit more energetic than Mary, asking more questions about Nico. And she doesn’t detail her death, which is a plus. She does seem nervous, though, glancing at Hades every now and then. Eventually, she runs out of questions, excusing herself.

“But you’re welcome to come back and visit,” she says. Nico nods.

“Is there a particular type in mind?” Hades asks. “I tried to get a diverse group. I wasn’t sure what you liked.” Out of context, Hades could be talking about anything from dogs to cupcakes. Which made it even more awkward. Hades tugs at his robes, glancing at Nico.

“Tall,” Nico says. “Blond.” And a guy, he adds quietly. Hades doesn’t hear him.

“Hmm. Well, Teresa was tall and blond,” Hades says. “I guess we don’t have to visit Dorothy, then. She’s shorter and brunette.” Hades taps his fingers against his chin, thinking. “There are quite a few tall, blond girls around here, though. I’m sure we could find someone.”

“I like guys,” Nico blurts out. Hades doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then he turns to Nico.

“Oh, um. Right. Really?”

Nico huffs. “Yes. I’m gay, Dad.”

Hades nods slowly. “So, no girls, I’m guessing.” Nico nods. “There are plenty of guys here, too. Less than girls, but that just makes it easier to find them. Right?” Nico shrugs.

“I already have someone I like,” Nico adds. Hades’s eyes widen at this.

“That son of Apollo?” he asks. “I had a hunch, but I wasn’t sure. I mean, Persephone pointed it out. But you insisted he was just a friend. So I didn’t ask. Should I have? Was this whole thing rude? Nico?”

Nico resists the urge to laugh at the sight of the god of the Underworld flustered. “It’s okay, Dad. I guess I was just waiting until it felt right to tell you.” Hades nods at this. They start walking back the way they came. Hades doesn’t say anything, and Nico’s keeping his mouth closed. He’s already blurted out more than he was expecting to.

“Apollo children are suckers for flowers, I hear,” Hades says suddenly. “I think Persephone could make flower crowns for you two. If you wanted.” He pauses. “Is that something kids do nowadays? Do they still court?”

Nico laughs. “I think so, but it’s different from you and Mom.”

Hades nods. “Well, children of Apollo are hopeless romantics according to Aphrodite. I think your son of Apollo would like being courted. Flowers and chocolates. And when you ask him out, I want to meet him. Can I request that? Or does that sound too pushy?”

Nico rolls his eyes. “It’s fine. But I have to ask him first.”

“Or he might ask you. I hear they’re also kind of impatient.” Nico smiles, thinking of Will. He was pretty patient, if his slowly worming his way into Nico’s life was any indication.

“I get the hint, Dad,” Nico says. His cheeks were warm from the whole conversation. He is glad that Hades seems just as awkward as he’s feeling.

Hades nods. “Aphrodite told me about shovel talking the other day, too. I’ve been practicing, so if you ever need that.” Nico nods. “And sorry about trying to set you up with all those girls. I guess they can’t really compete with a living son of Apollo. He’s going to be insufferable when he hears about this.” Hades groans.

Nico just laughs. By the time he leaves, his fingers are sore from weaving flower crowns, but he’s sure that Will’s going to love them. Hades keeps switching from offering advice to subtly threatening Will if he doesn’t say yes. Persephone just rambles about flower meanings.

“But if he says no, I am looking for a new sunflower after Cerberus stepped on mine.”

“Noted,” Nico says. He finishes off the flower crowns, waving to the gods. When he gets back to camp, Will’s waiting for him, Gatorade in hand. Without saying anything, Nico drapes a flower crown over Will’s curls. Will falls silent in the middle of his wellness lecture, glancing at Nico.

“Persephone?” he asks. Nico nods. “How’s your dad?”

Nico smiles. “He tried to set me up with a bunch of girls.” Will’s eyes widen. He knew Nico was gay. “So I had to tell him that I was already interested in someone else.”

Will’s eyes widen even more. “Really?” Then he smiles. “Is that other flower crown for him?”

Nico rolls his eyes. Hades forgot to mention how clueless sons of Apollo could me. “Nope. This one is for me.” Nico places it on his head, smiling at Will.

“Well, if you need some help asking this guy out, I’ve got some ideas,” Will says. “And if he says no, he’ll be rhyming for weeks.”

Nico laughs. Clueless, he thinks. At least Will was cute. He was already starting to plan out how he was going to court Will. Looking at Will, rambling about his ideas, he thinks that Will won’t know what hit him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated :)


	5. eight for a kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's a prince who's suffering a concussion. Nico's a secluded witch who takes care of him.

Will wakes to the morning light filtering through his curtained windows. He rolls over in bed, debating whether or not he should get up. Everyone else is probably up already, though no one has come to wake him. He’s not sure if that’s a perk of being the youngest son or a perk of being an unneeded prince. Either way, he’s more than wide awake, ready to do something.

He gets dressed in something comfortable and casual, washing his face in a bowl of water long left and cold now. As far as he knows, he doesn’t have much to do today other than his studies. He’s just turned eighteen three months ago, and his father is itching to marry him off. With his two brothers already running the kingdom, there isn’t too much left for Will to do.

Will makes his way down to the kitchens to grab some breakfast. He’s missed the family meal, and he’s sure his mom is disappointed with this. But he’d stayed up late last night finishing a new novel he just couldn’t put down. So he’d woken up late.

“Prince William,” a servant says, bowing. “Your father has requested your presence in the throne room.”

Will’s not surprised to hear this. Lately, his father has become more formal with him, requesting his presence rather than just finding him himself. Will runs a hand through his hair, checking his image in a mirror as he makes his way to the throne room. If Will’s lucky, his father has found another suitor for him. If he’s unlucky, his father has already agreed on a marriage arrangement.

“I’m here, Father,” Will says, bowing slightly as he enters. His father is sitting on his throne, his crown set beside him. Will takes the accustomed spot before the throne, hands clasped in front of him. “You wanted to speak with me?”

“Yes,” his father says. He smiles at Will, stepping down to press a kiss to Will’s forehead. “We’ve gotten word of another possible suitor. A young princess.”

“Have we invited her to the ball?” Will asks. He’s caught a glimpse of the guest list, and it’s enough to make him want to hide in his room for the whole evening. Will can make small talk for hours, but he cannot flirt to save his life. His brothers were naturals, making their way steadily through the courting rituals. Will’s oldest brother was to be married by winter.

“I was going to ask you to invite her,” is the reply. Will shifts, keeping eye contact with his father. “You can plan a visit or write her a letter.”

Will nods. “Very well,” he says. He’s already deciding that he’s going to take the letter route. If he were to show up at her door, he’d be starting the courting process, something he’s not ready for.

“I have also scheduled a hunt for you later today. Your dogs will be ready at the thirteenth hour, and your is receiving new shoes as well.” Will nods again. He doesn’t dislike hunting, but he doesn’t understand the sport to it. He’s chasing an innocent animal for entertainment.

“Will Michael and Lee be joining me?” Will asks. He can’t remember the last time he and his brothers had gone out on a hunt together. It’s been at least a year.

“I’m afraid that they have some diplomatic meeting today,” his father says. “And I must oversee it, too, so I will not be joining you. Feel free to ask some servants along if you want company.” Will nods once more.

“I’ll get my things together.” His father smiles at him, patting his shoulder.

“I’m looking forward to hearing about your hunt.” Will gives him a smile before leaving the room.

Will spends the day poring over books, completing his studies. Currently, he is studying foreign policy. It’s interesting in the way of seeing how other countries govern themselves, but it’s boring as Will has never been to any of these places. He can only start to imagine the people, the accents, the clothing. He knows Michael and Lee have been outside of the kingdom, and he wants to travel with them someday. But travel is expensive, even for royalty.

Just before the thirteenth hour, Will heads to check on his horse. He finds her sleeping in her stall. He carefully wakes her, making sure she’s fed and watered before saddling her up. A handler brings his dogs, and he’s ready to go. He’s decided to go alone, not quite caring if he catches anything. He slings his bow and quiver over his shoulder. Then he tests the reins, deciding it’s time to go.

Will takes the long path, spending as much time doing nothing more than admiring the scenery. He’s always loved the landscape, the sloping green hills with the ever-reaching trees. Stones were always a dark grey or black, striped with white or silver. A few rivers ran through the land, cutting the kingdom into three uneven pieces.

Will ventures into the trees, letting his horse guide him. Birds chirp to each other, squirrels running overhead. He’s not sure if any deer or fox will be out, and he doesn’t really care. If all he does is spend a quiet afternoon in the woods, he’ll be content.

Will loses track of time, but the sun is still in the sky. He estimates that sunset will be in the next two hours, and decides to turn around and head back. The sky grows darker, and Will wonders if a storm is setting in. Sunset should have been painted bright orange and pink, not this light grey and dark blue that he’s seeing.

A raven caws overhead, Will’s horse skitters a little to the left. Will rights her, patting her side. A rustling sound sets her off again, and Will hangs tight to the reins. A crow crosses his path, and Will can’t help but think of the old nursery rhyme Michael used to be obsessed with:

One for sorrow,  
Two for joy,  
Three for a girl,  
Four for a boy,  
Five for silver,  
Six for gold,  
Seven for a secret,  
Never to be told.  
Eight for a kiss,  
Nine for a wish,  
Ten for a bird,  
You must not miss

Will’s not superstitious, but he has heard of strange things happening in these woods. Some townspeople go in to collect wood and disappear forever. Others talk of seeing ghosts or encountering spirits who try to lead them astray.

The sky is growing darker still, and Will’s horse is thoroughly spooked. He tries his best to keep her steady, cooing in her ear. She makes a hard right at the flap of a bird’s wings. Another crow. Will’s eyes are slowly adjusting to the decreasing light. He can make out the beady eyes of crows, the skittering of a rabbit or squirrel. There’s the sound of something cracking, and the horse rears up.

Will catches a murder of crows circling overhead, and he does his best to count them. In the back of his mind, he knows he’s being flung, but he can’t take his eyes off those crows. He gets to seven before a pain shoots through his head. His eyelids fall heavy across his vision, and he’s out.  
-  
He wakes in an unfamiliar bed, a minty smell in the air. He tries to sit up, but his head is throbbing. He lets out a quiet groan, falling back onto the pillows. His fingers fiddle with the hem of the blanket that’s covering him. He peels his eyes open, finding the room dim.

“Awake?” comes a quiet voice. Will would have startled had it not taken him so long to realize that the voice wasn’t coming from his head. He turns his head slowly, looking into dark brown eyes. “I’m going to set you up.”

Will feels gentle hands helping him sit up. His head throbs more, and he lets out a quiet whine. The quiet voice hushes him, pressing a warm mug into his hands. “Drink. You’ll feel better soon.”

Will sips at the warm liquid while his eyes adjust. The eyes belong to a young man. He’s got black hair, tanned skin, a small scar across his cheek. It takes a few more moments for Will to notice that he’s wearing a black tunic and trousers.

“Who are you?” Will asks. He winces at how direct it sounds, but he can’t think of a better phrasing at the moment.

“You can call me Nico,” the man says. “And that’s Bianca.” He points to a crow. “And Hazel.” Will blinks when he notices the black cat curled up at his feet. “She’s been worried about you,” Nico adds. Will smiles, reaching slowly to scratch Hazel’s ears.

“I’m Will,” Will says. Nico nods slowly.

“Good you remember your name,” he says. Will frowns. Why shouldn’t he remember his name? Had Nico done something to him? Was he in Nico’s bed? Where exactly was he? He tries to remember what he was doing, but he comes up empty. “You’ve probably got some sort of head trauma. I’m going to recommend that you stay here maybe three days. Just until you’re better.”

Will frowns deeper. “But I’ve got to get back,” he says. “Back . . . ” he fades off, not sure where he’s supposed to be going back to. “How did I get here?”

Nico shrugs. “Floating,” he says. “I’m not exactly strong enough to lift a grown man. And Bianca was being no help. Just a simple spell, really. No big deal.”

Will’s definitely sure he’s hit his head. “Spell?” he asks. “Like grammar?”

Nico smiles at this, taking the mug from Will’s hands. “Spell like potions and magic.”

“Like a witch,” Will says. He’s really not sure where his manners have gone. He’s going to blame it on his head injury.

“I’ve self-labeled myself a hermit. But witch has a nice ring to it, too.” Nico helps Will lay back down again. “Now, you just rest, okay? No need to trouble yourself right now.”

Will pouts, but the blanket is so warm, and the pillows are so soft. Nico’s humming as he washes out Will’s mug. Will wants to ask more questions, but his head still hurts. And he’s tired. So he lets himself drift off. Questions can wait until he’s recovered his manners.  
-  
When Will wakes, there’s light pouring in through the window. A cat - Hazel - is still curled up on his legs. A crow is perched at the foot of his bed.

“Wake!” she caws. Will winces at the sound, sitting up. He almost thinks he’s in some strange dream until he sees Nico blinking sleepily at him. He’s rubbing his eyes, his hair pulled back into a small bun.

“Sleep,” he grumps at the crow. “You’re not a rooster.” Bianca doesn’t seem to care as she caws again, her wings flapping. This startles Hazel, her claws extending into Will’s legs. Will yelps, the sudden motion setting his head to hurting again.

Nico curses under his breath, grabbing Will’s hands. “Sit still,” he says. “Let me clean that up.” Will looks down to see several small rivers of blood on his calves. Hazel looks apologetic, rubbing her head up against his arm. He runs a finger over her head, smiling when she starts purring.

“Why am I here?” Will blurts out as Nico starts cleaning the scratches.

“You’re hurt,” Nico says. “And you can’t remember where you’re supposed to be.” Will’s about to protest when he realizes that he doesn’t know. He can’t remember who his family is, what his last name is. He can tell by how his leg is stinging, though, that he’s not in a dream. This is definitely real.

“I hope I’m not bothering you,” Will says. Nico shakes his head, smiling.

“I always keep a bed for strangers with head injuries,” he says, rolling his eyes. “If I’m honest, it does get a bit lonely out here.” Will glances out the window, trying to figure out where ‘out here’ is. He can only see green, though, just trees and bushes. A few splashes of dark grey for rocks or tree trunks.

Will’s about to say something when his stomach growls. Nico smiles at him. He bandages up Will’s leg before hurrying off. Will’s about to get up when Nico returns with a tray of food. He places it on Will’s lap, smiling shyly at him. Will smiles back, picking up the fork to shovel a few bites of eggs into his mouth.

“Yummy,” he says. Nico grins. They fall into conversation, Will asking lots of questions about Nico. While Nico claimed that he wasn’t a true witch, that he only used herbal remedies and natural ingredients, Will still thought it was closer to magic than science what Nico did. Not that he minded. Nico’s teas were amazing and cured Will’s headache quicker than any pill he’s ever had.

“So, tell me about you,” Nico prompts.

Will thinks for a moment. “I have two brothers,” he says. “And a dad. And a mom. I love to read, and my mom always says that I’m going to have to get glasses because I keep reading by candlelight.” Nico laughs at this, and Will wishes he knew more jokes just so he could hear Nico laugh again. “I can ride horses pretty well, but I’m not very good with a bow and arrow,” he adds. He just rambles, not sure if anything he’s saying has any real meaning.

He starts mixing up words after thirty minutes or so, and Nico gently quiets him. “Head injuries can be fickle,” he says. “You need lots of rest.” Will nods, though he doesn’t want to sleep. So Nico helps him to a chair in the kitchen. There, Will can watch Nico as he washes the dishes, tidies up the shack, feeds Hazel and Bianca. Then he moves Will outside so that Will can watch as Nico collects herbs and mushrooms and other ingredients he experiments with.

“I don’t always know what I’m doing,” Nico says. “I’ve got a few books, but most of this stuff is experimental. And it’s hard to truly test it, you know?” Will nods, slowly, just loving to watch Nico’s determined expression as he chops and slices and mixes.

Will’s not sure if it’s because he’s never seen a witch before or if it’s because Nico’s just so much more handsome than anyone he’s ever seen, but he wants to kiss Nico.

He chides himself immediately, a voice echoing in his mind that he can’t kiss someone he’s just met. Even if that someone has saved him and taken him in. It’s not possible to fall in love in a day and a half, comes a female voice. His mom? Will wonders. He can’t remember exactly what she sounds like, though that could be more so because she and Will hardly ever crossed paths once he started his studies and he began to miss family dinners.

Studies about what? And for what?

“I can hear you thinking,” Nico calls softly, breaking Will from his thoughts. “I told you, head injuries require rest. Don’t strain yourself.”

The two of them eat together, more tea. And Nico makes some sort of sweet cake with honey glaze. Will isn’t sure he’s ever tasted something so heavenly. He smiles when he sees Nico feed Bianca some. He’s not sure if crows are supposed to eat cake, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he watches Nico lick his fingers.

“Manners!” Bianca caws. Both Nico and Will startle.

“Sorry,” Nico says. “She doesn’t have manners of her own, so she likes to call everyone else out.” Will smiles, wiping his mouth to hide his blush. He could be imagining it, but he thinks he also sees a blush on Nico’s cheeks. Will tries to help Nico with the dishes, but Nico just helps Will to bed.

Will tries to keep his eyes open, but he’s so tired even after doing almost nothing but watching Nico all morning. He wants to catch Nico’s hand and kiss it, but he doesn’t. Instead, he lets Nico tuck him in. Hazel curls up in her usual spot. Bianca flaps over to the sink with Nico. Will tries to eavesdrop on Nico’s whispered conversation with her, but he’s too tired.  
-  
It’s halfway through the second day when Nico finally lets Will move about on his own. Will washes his own dishes, putting them away. He still lets Nico make the tea after his very bad failed attempt. He wasn’t much a fan of bitter teas, and he’d made a very bitter tea.

“More honey!” Nico had laughed for the fifth time, still gagging as he tasted it. Will had just pouted until Nico made the tea. He had to make it extra sweet to wash out the taste of Will’s tea. Will follows Nico around as he collects his herbs and vegetables for the day. While Nico’s making lunch, Will gathers some flowers, too. Somewhere in the back of his head, he knows flower meanings, which plants are poisonous, how to properly pick flowers.

“For me?” Nico asks when Will presents them to him, surprise all over his face. There’s definitely a slight blush on Nico’s cheeks. Hazel purrs against Will’s leg.

“Present! Present!” Bianca caws. Nico thanks Will, moving to put the flowers in a vase.

After lunch, they sit down to do a puzzle. The puzzle was only about three hundred pieces but it took them the better part of the afternoon as each of them kept getting distracted by the flowers on the table. Will’s got a purple flower tucked behind his ear, and Nico’s woven a small crown for Bianca by the time they’ve put the last piece in.

Nico stretches, yawning. Will doesn’t miss the subtle curve of Nico’s muscles as he pulls his arms above his head. Will smiles at him, thinking how easy it’d be to just pull Nico into a hug or a kiss right now. All he’d have to do is tug on Nico’s collar or his shoulders or just move himself forward a bit.

“You skipped your nap today,” Nico says. “How’s your head?”

“No pain. Not even a bump,” Will says. He’s still hasn’t quite figured out everything yet, and he has a feeling that Nico will insist he stay until he remembers. He wonders if Nico knows. He wonders if Nico wants him to stay. Will wants to stay even though he doesn’t know if he’s being missed or not.

“You’re thinking too hard again,” Nico says. “You’ll remember when the time is right.” He leads Will back over to the bed, but Will insists that Nico take a nap instead. He’s seen the bags underneath Nico’s eyes, knows that it’s from taking care of Will this whole time.

“I’ve been sleeping in your bed,” he says. He has no idea where Nico’s been sleeping. Whatever he’s been sleeping on, he’s got it cleaned up before Will wakes. Or maybe he’s just levitating, something Nico demonstrated on a very upset Hazel. “Rest. It’s fine if dinner is just a bit late.”

Nico grumbles something, but Will doesn’t catch it. He tucks Nico in, brushing the lightest kiss over Nico’s forehead. He’s not even sure if Nico notices it, his eyelids already falling shut.

Will waits until he’s sure that Nico’s asleep before he starts looking around. Nico is pretty clean about his space, so Will looks carefully. He doesn’t find anything except for a bow, arrow, and quiver laying behind a rocking chair. The weapons look familiar, and Will knows that they’re his. Does he hunt? he wonders. He doesn’t like hunting, he thinks.

He continues to look until the sun starts setting. Since Nico’s still asleep, Will busies himself with looking for a cookbook. He’s horrible at cooking, and the last thing he wants to do is burn down Nico’s shack. He finds a simple recipe for a salad that he can spice up a bit using the vegetables and fruits they gathered earlier. He attempts to make tea again, smiling when he smells the honey scent that he’s grown accustomed to waking to.

“Michael!” Will calls, startling himself. “Nico,” he corrects quickly as Nico shifts in the bed. Michael’s his brother, Will thinks. One of them. He remembers Michael now, taller and stronger than him. He pictures him with a crown on his head, a sword in his hand, though Michael was never violent.

Was Michael a king? That would make Will a prince. Was that even possible?

“Will?” Nico calls. He’s standing right next to Will now, rubbing his eyes. Hazel’s jumped up onto a chair, Bianca sitting behind her.

“Dinner!” Bianca caws. “Present! Flowers!” Will hopes Nico can’t see his blush in the candlelight. Nico clears his throat, sitting down.

“Thanks for making dinner. I hadn’t meant to sleep for so long.” Will smiles, shrugging.

“It’s the least I can do,” he says. “For taking care of me.” Nico’s smile falls a bit, and Will wonders if he said the wrong thing. There wasn’t anything wrong with wanting to thank Nico, was there? Or was the dinner too much? If Will were being honest, the dinner was more of a way of courting Nico rather than a thank you.

“I think you’ll get your memory back tomorrow,” Nico says softly. “I can tell you’re almost there.”

“I wouldn’t mind staying here a bit longer,” Will says. Nico laughs quietly, smiling. “Maybe you could come back with me,” he suggests. Nico doesn’t say anything, just eating his salad. They eat dinner in silence, not sure what to say to each other.

The candlelight illuminates Nico’s features lovingly, bringing out his eyes and smile, softening his cheekbones, hiding the flyaway hairs. The scar on his face is a subtle detail. Will almost leans across the table and kisses Nico right there.

“So, why one crow?” Will asks. “Isn’t it one for sorrow?”

Nico shrugs. “This isn’t a fairytale, Will. Not everyone gets the prince.” He pauses. “Besides, the rhyme is for magpies. Different from crows but in the same family.”

Will nods. Prince, Nico had said. That rang familiar.

“Besides, there are more than just Bianca. She has friends, but I tell her to keep them outside.” Nico smiles shyly, looking out the window. Will can see some of them resting on the branches. “And who are we to leave our fate to crows?”

Will shrugs. Does Nico like him? Does he like Nico? Is this what falling in love feels like? The steady, hammering of the heart, the want, the fantasies of lips brushing skin, of sleeping in the same bed, of holding hands.

“I think we should get you to bed,” Nico says. “You’re staring.”

“Prince! Prince!” Bianca caws. Hazel stretches, lumbering softly to the bed.  
“Where do you sleep?” Will asks. Nico shakes his head. “We can share the bed,” he adds. Nico blushes.

“What if I kick in my sleep?” Nico asks.

“Do you?” Nico huffs, tucking Will in. Will wants to pout, wants to grab Nico’s hand to pull him close. But if Nico doesn’t want that, he won’t. Nico leans down, brushing a kiss over Will’s forehead.

“Don’t think I missed that,” he says. Then Will’s tugging him onto the bed, trying to get closer. Nico’s knees fall dangerously close to Will’s thighs and stomach. Nico falls on him, their noses crashing together. Will lifts the covers, and Nico squirms underneath them. Will wants to kiss Nico again, but he’s not sure he’s allowed to. Instead, he rests his head on Nico’s shoulder, smiling when Nico’s arms loop around Will’s side.  
-  
Will wakes to a mouthful of hair. He frowns, pulling his head back. He’s about to jump out of bed when he remembers what happened last night. Nico in his arms, he in Nico’s. Nico kissing him. He smiles, brushing back Nico’s hair. It’s loose, Nico not pulling it back the night before.

“Sleep,” Nico mumbles, pulling Will closer. Will lays there like that, wondering if Nico realizes that they’re basically snuggling together. He can only imagine if his father saw this. He’d be raging up and down the halls, kicking Nico out. And then Will would be forced to marry that girl he never invited to the ball.

“Wake! Wake!” Bianca caws. Will winces. Nico shifts, his eyes opening.

“Morning, Will,” he says, a blush high on his cheeks. He seems unsure of what to do.

“Prince Will,” Will breathes. Nico stiffens, starting o pull back. “But you can call me Will.”

“Good,” Nico says, relaxing a little. He traces Will’s cheek. “You’re going home today,” he says.

Will nods. He remembers now. His dad, the king. His brothers, kings. Him, handed off in marriage. The ball he never went to. He feels like he should be more alarmed than he is, but all he feels is sad. An achy sort of sad that sticks to his ribcage.

“Not everyone gets the prince,” he says, realizing what Nico had been saying. Nico nods slowly, pushing back the covers to get up. His dark eyelashes fall over his eyes, shielding Will from whatever emotions Nico’s feeling. “Not everyone gets the prince,” he repeats. “Because he’s already taken.”

“I get it,” Nico says, an edge to his voice. But then Will is tugging on Nico’s arm, Nico falling onto Will’s chest.

“May I kiss you?” Will breathes. Nico’s hair is ticking his neck and jaw. Nico nods, his eyes wide, a small smile slipping onto his face. Will leans up, his hands moving to cup Nico’s cheeks. Even with the morning breath, it’s still more magical than anything Will’s ever experienced.

“Eight for a kiss,” Nico says when they pull away. Will smiles, pulling Nico in again.  
-  
“Father,” Will says. He’s nervous, more nervous than he’s ever been. “This is Nico,” he says. Nico steps forward, bowing. He’s put on a new tunic and has pulled his hair back for the occasion. Hazel is purring against Will’s leg, and Bianca is perched on Nico’s shoulder.

“What of this Nico?” Will’s father asks.

“I’m in a relationship with him. I’ve begun to court him.” Both boys blush at this, and a smile spreads on the king’s face. Will rambles as he explains the circumstances leading up to their meeting, how Nico took care of him, how he’s falling for Nico. He’s more than slightly embarrassed that he’s saying all of this with Nico standing right there, but he doesn’t care.

“Very well,” his father says when Will’s finished. “I guess I can’t do more than welcome Nico to the family. A ball in honor of your courtship!” He laughs, standing up to kiss Nico’s cheeks. “Welcome, welcome!”

Will smiles, relieved. He’s surprised at how well his father took the news of Nico being a witch, but he supposes no one, not even a king, can argue with true love and fate.

“We’ll have you moved in within the week,” the king announces. “And you’ll have your own set of rooms. And some servants. And I assume you’ll need materials for your work,” he adds. He continues to talk, his arm around Nico’s shoulders. Nico just nods, adding things when needed. Will smiles.

He’s devising some way of escaping somewhere solitary with Nico so that they can kiss later. But for now, he’s just happy to watch his father welcome Nico in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated :)


	6. leaves are falling, and so am i

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico just wants people to stop befriending him for his money. Will's a new kid who's just trying to live his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: implied/referenced bullying
> 
> I feel like I've written another fic(s) that featured a county fair, but I can't remember which one it was.

Nico eyes the new kid. He isn’t sure what to make of him yet. He’s unnecessarily bright and friendly, always smiling offering help. And he seems to be super smart, already acing all of his classes even though he arrived partway through the second quarter. He’s in Nico’s upper-level science and English classes. Nico watches him hunch over his notebook, taking tedious notes every class.

“Hey,” comes a soft voice. “Nico, right?” Nico nods, crossing his arms. He’s used to being approached, usually people trying to invite him to things. He’s been there, done that so many times before, and he’s so tired of it. So now he merely puts on a poker face and pretends to be interested.

“You need something?”

The boy flushes, the red contrasting nicely with the blue of his eyes. “I was wondering if you could help me with that English assignment. See, I’m kind of awful at writing, and I’ve heard that you’re super good. So I could use the help. If you’re willing.”

Despite wanting to be, Nico’s interested. There’s something about this boy that makes Nico want to say yes. Even though he’s sure it’s going to end badly. “Sure, wanna come over later?” He decides he’ll just rip the band-aid off. If this kid is just trying to get at his money, he’ll give him a small taste and just dump him.

“If you could give me a ride. My brother’s got the car today, and I think he’s got something after school.” Nico nods. So far, it’s like this kid is reading a script. He’s used to people asking him for things, trying to get close, trying to wheedle themselves onto Nico’s good side. (The joke is on them. After many years of being used, Nico’s sure he’s lost his good side.)

“I can do that. Meet me around the side of the school at the final bell.” The boy nods, smiling. Nico can almost count the freckles that are spattered across the bridge of his nose. It’s not until the boy’s walked away that Nico realizes he doesn’t know his name.

By the end of school, he’s mostly forgotten about his commitment to help the new kid. He’s in a deep discussion with Reyna about some stupid rom-com she’s trying to get him to watch. (Nico will never admit it, but he happens to like watching rom-coms very much.)

“Nice to see you’re making friends,” Reyna says. Nico frowns for a moment, looking to where Reyna bobs her head. He notices the new kid standing in the parking lot, looking around. Nico has no idea how he got out there so fast.

“He said he needed help writing his English paper,” Nico says. Reyna nods. She doesn’t give him the usual spiel about being careful of being used. Instead, she just smiles. “Hey!” Nico calls to Will. The moment he sees Nico, his face lights up.

“Hi! I realized I didn’t know what you drove, so I just kind of stood around hoping you hadn’t left already.” Nico nods. Reyna and the new kid introduce themselves. Nico learns his name is Will Solace. (Of course, he thinks.)

Nico drops Reyna off at her house before heading to his own. Will’s sitting in the backseat, his eyes glued out the window. He asks questions every now and then about places or people. He’s been in town for maybe a week now, and he’s already talked to more people than Nico has in the last three years.

He parks in the garage, wincing a little as he slides in between two brand new cars. Will doesn’t say anything, suddenly looking a little awkward as he stands in Nico’s garage, his backpack hugged to his chest. He seems unsure if he’s allowed to touch anything and follows closely to Nico. Nico feels relatively self-conscious leading Will through his house. He knows the place is grand, something his father bought to keep himself busy in his spare time.

“It’s a nice house,” Will offers once they’re in the kitchen. Nico offers him something to eat. Will accepts the bowl of Goldfish and a juice box. Nico grabs a water bottle and leads Will to his room. He’s technically got the entire second floor to himself, but he doesn’t tell Will that.

“You can sit wherever. I usually do my homework on the bed.” Nico throws his stuff onto his bed, sitting down. Will takes a minute before sitting in Nico’s desk chair. Nico lets him look around, feeling a bit embarrassed as Will’s eyes widen.

“This place is like a museum,” he says. “If I lived here, I’d definitely get lost.”

Nico shrugs. “You learn your way around. Besides, we don’t really use all the rooms in the house.” Will nods slowly. “So, homework?”

Will nods again, opening his backpack. He pulls out a laptop, decorated with a bunch of stickers. Nico smiles as he looks at them. There are some cartoon animals, some sporting goods stores, some advertising a better environment. Will catches him looking.

“My young siblings collect them. They like to stick them to my laptop.” He shrugs. “It’s better than my walls. Mama was so upset when we had to scrape them all off to move here.” He gives Nico a smile, pulling out his notebook now.

“So, where do you usually start with papers?” Nico asks. He knows everyone has their own way of writing. He also wants to make sure he isn’t writing this paper for Will.

Will shrugs. “I’ve tried to make outlines, but those always suck. But I can’t just write essays like my brother can. I’d ask him for help, but he’s off in college this year. Maybe help me write the thesis?” Will asks. “Maybe once I’ve got that, the outline will work better.”

Nico nods. He pulls out his own notes and book, rifling through the pages. He throws out a few ideas, and Will types them out, trying to turn them into theses. They discuss back and forth, eventually ending up on a tangent about the time Nico tried to see if clogging up a toilet would flood the school bathroom. (Only sort of. The custodians got to it before it could do any real damage. And Nico felt so bad that they had to clean it up.)

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Nico asks. Dinners were usually just him and his dad or him and the chef. Bianca was away at college, and Hazel was often with her boyfriend. (Tonight, she’s eating dinner at his house after a study date.) He isn’t sure why he’s being so forward, but he’s got this feeling that Will actually thinks he needs help with his paper and isn’t just using Nico.

“Um, sure. Mama’s home tonight, so I won’t have to whip up something.” Will smiles, pulling out his phone. Nico smiles when he notices that the back case is also covered in stickers. There’s a ding of a reply. “Mama says it’s fine. I just have to be home by nine.”

Nico nods. He sends a message to the chef that Will will be joining him for dinner before suggesting they start on their other homework. This goes relatively smoothly. Will works at Nico’s desk, humming to himself as he churns out math problems by the minute. Nico puts his headphones in as he tries his best to balance chemical formulas. He startles when Will taps his shoulder.

“Sorry, but where’s the bathroom?” Will looks sheepish. Nico points him towards a door on the far side of the room. He’s guessing Will just thought it was a closet or something. Will nods, heading into the bathroom and locking the door.

He’s not sure what it is about Will that makes him so trusting of him. He’s not usually this open to invitations or conversation, all of them staggering towards a request for financial help or extravagant vacations. But Will seems so different. While he didn’t exactly struggle with churning out theses, it was clear that he thought he was awful at writing. But he had the basic skills; he just needed to consult a thesaurus or rephrase something here.

For dinner, Nico leads Will down to the kitchen table. He usually eats here, as the dining table is much too long and formal for any sort of casual dining. The chef (Nico can’t remember his name) serves them dinner on China plates, complete with garnish. Will stares at his food for a solid minute before cutting into it.

“This is absolutely amazing,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever had chicken that made my mouth water.” Nico smiles. He’s not sure if it’s that great. In his mind, home cooked meals would have always tasted better, but he can barely remember his mom and her cooking. (He likes to think he misses her, but he can’t remember enough of her to miss.)

Nico finds himself watching Will more, enjoying his meal simply because Will was there. He learns more about Will, how he has four siblings. He’s moved because of his dad’s job, some business that Will doesn’t exactly understand. His mom works at a bakery now, and Will rambles about how amazing her cookies and cakes are. Will wants to be a doctor or therapist when he’s older but being a vet doesn’t sound bad either.

“I really just want to travel the world,” Will says. “Because I’ve read of so many places, but I’ve never really been. So if I do become a successful doctor, I want to use that money to travel everywhere.” He lists a few places he’s got trips planned out for. Nico doesn’t mention that he’s been to at least half of those places on business trips with his dad. (He’s not honestly sure what to say. Will just seems so interesting and amazing.)

“Thanks for hanging out with me,” Will says when Nico drops him off. “It was a lot of fun.”

Nico nods, smiling. “Yeah. I had fun, too.” He can’t help but think that they sound like some couple on their first date. (If this were a first date, would he be able to kiss Will’s cheek?)

“See you tomorrow?” Will asks. It’s sort of endearing how it’s a question. Like Will isn’t aware of how he’s messing up everything Nico’s ever thought about people. Nico just nods, giving an awkward wave because he can’t think of anything else to say.

But he doesn’t have to because Will’s little sister is squealing for him to come and read her a bedtime story, and the dog is barking. And then Will’s mom is waving to him. Nico wants to ignore it, but he feels a little lonely stepping away from the lively home.  
-  
It doesn’t take long for Nico to be head over heels for Will Solace. Reyna teases him, about how he’s gone soft, how he’s such a hopeless romantic, how he definitely watched the Hallmark channel for hours last night. He denies all of it, though he can tell Reyna doesn’t believe him. Hazel just comments on how much like a Hallmark movie it seems. (New kid at school falling for the self-imposed outcast. He’s definitely seen a movie like this before.)

“You should ask him out,” Reyna says. “There’s that county fair this weekend. That’s a perfect Hallmark date,” she adds, nudging him. Nico grumbles, but he’s already thinking of Will in a flannel shirt and the how the night lights will make Will look like an angel. And Will’s hand in his, his lips tasting like butter or caramel.

“We always go together,” Nico says, just a moment too late.

Reyna shrugs. “And we always end up leaving before it even gets dark.” Nico huffs. He always pretends that he’s bored or that the lines are too long. In reality, it’s just because county fairs are couple or family things to do. They’re not things that one drags their friend to in order to find a storybook happy ending.

“We won’t this time,” Nico says. “I’ll actually get on a ride.”

Reyna smirks. “I know you will. Because you won’t be going with me.” She bobs her head across the hall where Will’s leaning over a water fountain. HIs shirt rides up a little, and Nico pretends that he doesn’t want to see more. “Go ask. The worst that can happen is that you end up making out in this hallway.”

Nico pouts, but Reyna shoves him forward. He almost trips over his own feet, almost ruining his entire reputation in a single stumble.

“Nico, hey!” Will smiles when he sees Nico, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Did you finish that science stuff?”

Nico nods. “Yeah,” he says. He’s about to just walk away when he sees Reyna gesturing behind him. Will looks confused. “Hey, so there’s this county fair this weekend,” he starts. “Would you want to go?”

Will’s face lights up. “Sure. I’ve never been to one before. Is it like in the movies? With the fried food and the Ferris wheel? I haven’t been on one of those either, though I do kind of hate heights.” He pauses. “I’ll probably have to take my younger siblings, actually.” His face falls a bit.

Nico smiles. “We can all go as a group if you want,” he says. “Hazel and Reyna want to go, too. So we can all hang out together.” Will’s face lights up again as he nods. The bell rings, and Reyna just sighs.

“It’s not a group date,” she says. Nico shrugs. He didn’t care. He was going to the county fair with Will (and the rest of his family).  
-  
They drive separately, Will’s brother driving his family and Nico driving Hazel. Reyna insisted that she drive herself. Nico had never met Will’s brother as he went to a different school than they did. Will explained it by saying that Michael went to early college, hoping to get a head start on his degree. Nico was more than content to continue through school at the normal pace.

“Hey,” Will says softly when they arrive. He’s staring at all of the booths and the rides. His siblings are excited, too, jumping up and down and tugging on his shirt. “Oh,” Will says, snapping back to reality. “This is Michael. And Kayla and Austin.”

“I’m six,” Kayla inserts here. She points to Austin. “And he’s ten.”

“Hazel and Reyna,” Nico says. Hazel waves. Then they walk in. Nico’s never been with such a big group before, but it’s kind of nice. He doesn’t have to wander around aimlessly, with nothing to do. Instead, Austin and Kayla take turns picking out things to do. They go fishing and ride the weird caterpillar ride. They bob for apples and throw darts. Nico pulls Will over to one of the game booths after noticing that Will’s eyes kept falling on a certain fluffy teddy bear.

“I’m going to master this game,” Nico says. Will smiles at him. “Pick something you want.” Nico hopes while Will is busy sorting through the prizes he can actually land three rings around the bottles. He’s never been particularly good at these types of games, but he’s also never been properly motivated.

It takes him about seven tries before he manages it. (He also thinks that the guy at the booth feels a bit sorry for him.) But in the end, he gets Will that teddy bear. Will beams as he accepts it, smiling so widely that Nico zones out for a bit.

It’s short-lived as Kayla’s back, asking for a funnel cake. They end up getting three funnel cakes, showering powdered sugar all over themselves. Will’s got some in his hair, and they’ve all got sticky fingers. Kayla wipes her hands on her shirt, leaning against Hazel.

“Will you take me to get my face painted?” she asks. Hazel smiles. She winks at Nico as she walks off to the face painting booth.

“One more ride,” Michael is saying. “And then we’re heading home.” Austin whines for a few seconds at this, scanning the fairgrounds for something fun to do. After being here for about two hours, they’ve managed to cover most of the things. They’d played most of the games, rode most of the rides, visited the booths to see what they were selling. They even watched the piglets race on the track.

“I wanna win that goldfish!” Austin says, tugging Michael’s arm. Nico hears Michael sigh. Will laughs.

“Nico can take you home, yeah?” Michael asks. “I’m going to get Kayla after she’s done.”

“I’ve got him,” Nico says. He hopes he’s not blushing. He doesn’t look over at Will until Michael’s back is turned. “So, what do you want to do?” Will’s holding his teddy bear on his lap, his arms around it, and Nico can’t help but feel a little jealous of that teddy bear.

“How about the Ferris wheel?” Will asks slowly. Nico nods. He grabs Will’s hand, pulling him through the crowd. The sun had already set, and in about an hour, there would be fireworks. Nico can’t help but think that he’s right as he looks at Will in the lamplights. His hair is shining, and so are his eyes. He’s got some powdered sugar smeared across his cheek, and his hands are a little sticky still.

They have to wait in line for about twenty minutes, and then Will starts to look nervous. “I really don’t like heights that much,” he says. “But I’ve always wanted to ride a Ferris wheel. I mean, it’s kind of cliché, you know? But it’s that way for a reason.” He shrugs, gripping Nico’s hand. Nico scoots closer.

“I’ve got you,” he says. It’s cheesy, but it feels right. Nico’s left side is pressed against Will’s right side, their hands intertwined in between. Will’s gaze is fixed straight ahead of them as they go up, their seat dangling ever so slightly. “Look over there,” Nico says. If he’d planned this right, they could have been watching the fireworks up here. Maybe next year.

Will gasps a little when they get to the stop and pause there. He’s still clinging to Nico’s hand, but he’s managed to look around. He’s got a small smile on his face, and Nico doesn’t mind if Will leans a bit more into his side. On their slow descent, Will squeaks.

“Want to stay for the fireworks? Then I can drive you home.” Will nods, glad to be back on solid ground.

They hunt out a good spot to sit. Nico wishes he’d brought a blanket, but the grass isn’t too itchy. Will’s leaning against him again, yawning a little. By the time the fireworks start, Will’s head is on Nico’s shoulder. Nico doesn’t move or breathe too quickly for fear that Will will sit up.

“I haven’t seen fireworks in so long,” Will says, yawning. “We were so busy packing this summer that the Fourth just passed us by. I’m glad I still got to see them.” He yawns again, and Nico thinks about how romantic it’d be if he was able to carry Will back to the car. (It wouldn’t be romantic if he tried. He doesn’t work out, and no one is just naturally that strong.)

They walk back to Nico’s car in silence, still holding hands. Will stumbles a bit as he yawns more frequently. Nico just loops his arm around Will’s waist, saying that it’ll keep Will from wandering off. Will doesn’t fall asleep on the way back to his house, but they don’t talk. Will hums along to the radio, looking out the window.

“Thanks for taking me,” Will says when they pull into the driveway. “I’m sorry we had to take my siblings.”

Nico shakes his head. “No, it was still fun. And I liked meeting them.” Honestly, he’s kind of fallen in love with all of Will’s family. He wonders if Will’s oldest brother and parents are just as amazing. “I’ll see you on Monday?”

Will nods, pausing on his doorstep. He hesitates, clearing his throat. He’s about to say something, but Nico pushes himself up on his toes, pecking Will’s lips. He pulls back, smiling a little.

“Yeah,” Will says, clearing his throat again. “Do you want to go out sometime?”  
-  
They’ve been dating for four weeks and officially boyfriends for two weeks now, and Nico’s living in a cloud. He gets to hold Will’s hand between classes, gets to eat lunch with him, gets to hang out after school. Sometimes Reyna or Hazel comes along. Sometimes they have to fend for a quiet space at Will’s house. But it’s so much better than Nico’s ever imagined.

With all of his previous boyfriends, he was always having to come up with fancy dates, take them places, buy them gifts. He always felt like he had to impress them or make them happy. With Will, it doesn’t seem to matter if they’re doing homework or trying to make milkshakes for Will’s siblings or going to a cafe. Will seems content to just hang out with Nico, and that’s a new feeling.

Still, Nico can’t help but get Will gifts just because he doesn’t know how else to express how happy he is. He holds Will’s hand and kisses him and cuddles with him. But there’s still so much more happiness. So he learns what chocolates Will likes, what knick-knacks make Will smile the widest, that Will has a beanie bear collection. He does his best not to be too extravagant (just in case Will is only using Nico for his money), but sometimes he can’t help it.

“Wait,” Will says. “Is this that Italian place downtown?” He’s looking at a handmade invitation Nico has slipped into his locker during homeroom. “Nico, that place is expensive,” Will says.

“I’m paying, Will,” Nico says. “I’m treating you. For our one month anniversary.” He feels cheesy for celebrating the months, but he doesn’t care.

“Nico, I-“ Nico cuts him off. He understands that not everyone is as rich as he is, and, up until he had friends, he hadn’t really a need for all of that money that his dad slips into his checking account.

“If you feel uncomfortable because it’s fancy, we can go somewhere else. But it’s really my treat. You don’t have to pay me back or anything. You just have to enjoy yourself. The food is really good.”

Will still seems hesitant as he looks at the card. “Do you like spending money on me?” Will asks. Nico’s surprised by the question. “Because some people are telling me that you just throw a lot of money at people and then dump them. I don’t believe it or I don’t want to. But I’ve only known you for maybe two months.”

“Who’s saying this?” Nico asks.

“This Jared kid? And maybe someone named Damian? Or maybe it’s Dominic? Tall and really big? Like buff.” Will scrunches up his nose a little.

Nico feels a tinge of anger run through him. “My ex’s,” Nico says. “They’re just jealous. People always use me for my money. And so when they do, I don’t know what to do with them other than stop hanging out with them.” He shrugs. He hopes he’s explained it right. “Will?”

Will shrugs. “I don’t believe them,” he says slowly. “But I guess it’s kind of hard. Dating you. Not because of the money. But because of everyone always whispering behind my back and the other stuff.”

Nico frowns. “What other stuff?” He hasn’t heard of this happening to his previous boyfriends.

“Nothing much, I guess. Just dumping my stuff out. Or ripping up my homework. Or shoving me. Whispering stuff about me. They keep telling me it’s a mistake, that you’ll just dump me in another month. That you think I’m a charity case. Or that you’re using me for sex. I don’t think it’s personal, and maybe they think they’re helping.” He shrugs again. “It’s just kind of hard because I was starting to make friends. But now no one really wants to talk to me.” He’s pouting now, gripping the invitation.

But Nico’s angry. He quickly pulls out his phone, sending a text to Reyna and Hazel, asking if they know anything about this. Reyna’s reply is first because she doesn’t care about being caught during class. Nico frowns as he reads Reyna’s texts. Apparently, this has happened with all of his previous boyfriends, everyone trying to break them up. Which Nico supposes worked in his favor then.

Hazel replies as Nico and Will are leaving lunch. She says she’s noticed some harassment, some bullying of his boyfriends but she always assumed it was because they were using him. Nico replies that it’s happening to Will now. He looks up in time to see Will, ahead of him now, getting shoved. Nico quickly returns to Will’s side, glaring. Will just glances away, head down as he makes his way to class.  
-  
The three of them are sitting at Will’s kitchen table. They’d have liked to be in Will’s room, but Michael’s currently building some sort of rocket in there that requires materials Mrs. Solace forbids being on the kitchen table. So Nico, Reyna, and Will are in the kitchen. They’re supposed to be doing homework, but Nico’s trying to figure out how to cheer Will up.

It’s been a week since he’s learned about the bullying, and nothing has changed. He’s tried talking to people, tried pranking them (Reyna’s idea), tried getting Will to speak up. He’s even contacted the principal, who merely said that the school was a democracy and that majority ruled.

Needless to say, Nico’s upset.

Will’s working on his homework, sipping a juice box as he works out his math problems. Austin’s playing a video game, and Kayla’s singing as she does her own homework. Mr. Solace (call me Lester) is trying to convince Austin to do his homework before Mrs. Solace (Naomi) gets home. So far, Austin is winning.

“Something got you down?” Lester asks, glancing over at Nico. He gives up on Austin for a moment, moving into the kitchen. Nico glances over at Will. He’s still engrossed in his homework, not seeming to notice that neither Reyna or Nico were doing any. (Nico supposes that’s the perks of living in a semi-chaotic house. One learns to tune things out.)

“People are bullying Will for dating Nico,” Reyna says. Will’s head jerks up, cheeks flushing, as Lester starts into a speech about how being gay isn’t a sin.

“Not like that, Dad,” he says. “They think I’m using him.” Pause. “For his money, I mean. They think I’m just trying to use his money.”

“Nico’s got a lot of money?” Lester asks. Nico just nods. It’s relatively common knowledge that his dad happens to own several thriving businesses and hotels. “Well, are you using him?” He frowns at his wording.

“No, Dad. I like him. The money has no effect.”

Lester nods slowly. “I was wondering who was funding your bear collection.” Will flushes at this as Reyna smirks. She’s also been wondering why Nico was buying a lot of teddy bears. “Does this bullying bother you?” Will shrugs, which is enough to go on. “I assume you’ve talked to people,” Lester says. “It’s always so annoying when they tell you to tell teachers, but the teachers never actually doing anything.”

Nico nods. “So what’s left?” He’s getting a little desperate here. A guy in their English class punched Will just yesterday. It didn’t break anything, but Will has a nasty bruise on his arm.

“I’m afraid you’re not going to like this,” Lester starts. “But maybe you’re just going to have to wait it out. Prove them wrong. That you guys really like each other, regardless of any monetary exchange.”

Nico sighs. Will goes back to his homework.

“I guess that could work,” Reyna says. “They have to get bored eventually. And if they do something too serious, the school will have to step in and do something.” Honestly, Nico thinks they should have stepped in when Will got punched, if not before.

“Stay strong, kids. Bullies feed on weakness. And when they realize it’s their own, they’ll get bored.” Lester pats Nico on the back. “Do you want any brownies? Naomi made some yesterday, I think.” He pauses, whispering. “I’ve been hiding them.”

Nico understands why when he hears the rumbling of footsteps. Even Michael’s in the kitchen in seconds, his face smeared with grease.

“Shouldn’t you be doing that in the garage?” Lester asks. Michael only shrugs. Will looks uncertain about the state of their room.

“There’d better not be any rocket parts on my bed. And that includes grease and oil,” Will says. He blocks Michael from grabbing a corner piece of brownie, smiling as he takes a bite. Nico takes whatever piece he can get his hands on, handing one to Reyna. The brownies are amazing, to say the least, perfectly crunchy and gooey and chocolatey. He eats every crumb, disappointing the dog when she comes by to collect the scraps.

Later, Will kicks Michael out of their room, cuddling Nico on the bed. He’s tucked his head underneath Nico’s chin. Technically, since Will’s taller, he should be the big spoon. But Nico’s quite content to be the big spoon while Will traces patterns across Nico’s back.

“Does it really bother you that much?” Will asks quietly. Nico hums. It bothers him a lot. He never knew it happened, and he can tell that it hurts Will. He knows it can’t be easy being both the new kid and being bullied for something he isn’t even doing.

“Does it bother you?” Even though he knows the answer, he wants to hear it from Will.

“Yeah,” he says. “But I know I’m not doing it for the money, and I know you believe that, too. And you’re worth it.” Will mouths at Nico’s neck, and Nico lets out a breathy sigh. He has no idea where Will learned to kiss, but whoever it was, Nico thanks them plenty.

They end up making out until Naomi gets home, throwing the door open and announcing that dinner’s ready.  
-  
“It’s nice to officially meet the man who makes my son blush,” is what Hades says upon greeting Will. Will blushes at this, shaking Hades’s hand. “Just know you have my blessing. Whatever you want. A garden, a boat, Nico’s hand in marriage.” He winks at Nico.

“Um, thanks, sir,” Will says. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Hades nods.

Nico didn’t expect his dad to be home, or else he’d have briefed Will on a few things. First being that his dad was overly straightforward and to the point. Second, Hades was a bit eccentric in his tastes. Hence, the purple suit he is currently wearing.

“Is it cold out there? Could I get you some hot chocolate?” It’s a Saturday afternoon, and Nico and Will had just gotten back from picking out pumpkins.

“Apple cider!” Nico calls as his father disappears into the kitchen. Nico grabs some old newspapers, leading Will to the kitchen table. He sets up their pumpkins, moving to get knives and other things they might need. When he comes back, Hazel’s sitting next to Will.

“Can I join?” she asks. Nico points to four other pumpkins sitting at the end of the table. He’s picked up extras because he knew Hazel also liked carving pumpkins and because their chef loved making pumpkin pie. And it happened to be his father’s favorite type of pie. “I wish I could have picked one myself, but Frank really needed some help with his project.”

Will makes the mistake of asking Hazel about Frank. Hazel launches into her thirty-minute long speech about why Frank was just so amazing. Nico guesses he should cut her some slack. He’s sure he could have an hour minimum speech about why Will was so amazing.

“I’m going o carve a ghost,” Will says. He marks his pumpkin, showing Nico the design before he starts carving of the top. Nico watches him for a few moments, smiling at the way Will’s tongue sticks out as he makes the precise incisions. Hazel’s still deciding.

“Should I do a face? Or like a design?” she asks.

“How about both?” Hades suggests as he walks in. He’s got a tray of mugs and cookies. He sits down, producing a bowl for them to put their pumpkin seeds in. Will’s rolled up the sleeves of his sweater so that he can scoop out the pumpkin. He threatens to hold Nico’s hand.

“Don’t you dare!” Nico says. He picks up his own handful of pumpkin guts, but Will doesn’t flinch. He just laughs as Nico paints an orange smiley face on his cheek. They manage to sort out the seeds and guts without making too much of a mess. Hazel’s curly hair keeps trying to sweep some of the seeds off the table, and, apparently, Will’s super particular about how the inside of his pumpkin looks.

“It’s got to be just right,” he says. “So that the candle glows properly.” Nico rolls his eyes, kissing Will once their hands are washed. Then they start carving. Nico won’t tell Will what his design is. It’s not anything super sentimental or funny, but he just wants to surprise Will.

They work in quiet, eating cookies and drinking hot apple cider. Hades puts on some jazz music which causes Will to look up. But he merely smiles and goes back to work.

“Ta-da!” Will announces when he’s finished. “My masterpiece!” He turns his pumpkin around to show off his plump ghost, complete with a bowtie. Nico grins.

“I love it,” he says. Will beams. Hazel finishes her’s next, showing a goofy face. When she gets everyone’s approval, she starts on her second pumpkin.

“Finished,” Nico says. Will peers over his shoulder, his eyes going soft.

“You’re such a romantic,” Will laughs. It’s a heart with their initials carved into it. Hazel rolls her eyes, cooing. “You two are such lovebirds,” she says. Hades pulls out his phone, insisting that he get pictures. He gets photos of them with their pumpkins, and he also manages to get one of Will and Nico kissing.

“It’s too bad Reyna didn’t join us,” Will says. Nico laughs. Reyna hated carving pumpkins. She hated the gooey feeling of the pumpkin guts on her hands. “But then I wouldn’t be able to do this.” Nico turns his head to ask as Will cups his face, kissing Nico very properly.

Nico giggles. “I wouldn’t mind if she were here just so she could see that.” Will pulls back enough to stick out his tongue, smiling. They kiss again, Will tasting like chocolate and apples.

“So, are we going trick-or-treating? Because I’ve been thinking of costumes,” Will says. He leans his head on Nico’s shoulder, kissing at Nico’s neck. Nico tries to pay attention to what Will’s saying, but his lips are just so darn talented.

“Bianca’s coming home next week. She’s been insisting that she meets you,” Nico says, finally realizing how close Halloween was.Will laughs. “Lee’s been doing the same thing. Something about making sure that his little brother is in good hands.” He rolls his eyes.

“I’ve got you, sunshine,” Nico whispers. “And I don’t intend on letting you go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated :)


	7. all's fair in love and war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's a Greek soldier. Nico's an Italian prisoner. Is war a place for love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is kind of rushed and probably more than slightly inaccurate - I apologize for this.
> 
> warnings: implied/referenced violence, reference to WWII, some fighting (no blood)

October 1940

“These provocations can no longer be tolerated by Italy . . .The Italian government demands that the Hellenic government shall not pose any resistance to this occupation. Should the Italian forces meet with resistance, such resistance will be crushed by force of arms.”

Metaxas read over the document once more. “Alors, c’est la guerre.”  
-  
It doesn’t take long for the Italians to storm into Northern Greece, Will thinks. Luckily, they had had a few hours to prepare for the attack. He’d quickly put on his uniform, loaded his gun, and got ready to fight. He could hear his brothers shuffling around, packing ammunition, rations, anything else they would need.

Will hadn’t fought in any wars before, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to fight in this one. Not after hearing about the first world war. But he had a duty to defend his country, and his mom and sister were counting on him. So he loads up his bullets and snaps his belt around his waist. He makes sure his boots are on tight before following his brothers out into the city.

The next few hours are a blur of rubble and dust and shouts. He sees soldiers falling, on both sides. He tries to keep track of his brothers, but he remembers his training. He must think only of himself and the enemy. He cannot let any weakness into his mind or he’ll be the next to fall. He knew how to clear his mind of any excess thoughts.

Will quickly reloads his gun, shooting at any grey-green uniforms. His own brothers are wearing brown, though it’s hard to distinguish it from the smoke and collateral of the fighting. He trips over an arm, feeling disgust rise in his throat. He swallows it back down, surveying the scene in front of him. He’s lost track of his brothers, and the air has become filled with the groans and grunts of wounded and defeated men.

“Solace!” he hears. He turns his head to see the face of one of his brothers. He’s beckoned over, given orders to watch the prisoners. Will takes his guard, standing stiffly next to his brother. They’re joined by another Greek soldier, though Will can’t remember his name.

In half an hour, the area has been scavenged. Items have been looted, and the prisoners are marched out. Will follows behind them, marching as he’s been trained to do so. He’s not sure if this is the correct protocol, but he’s also not sure what’s fair in war.

They dump the prisoners in holding cells, and Will’s given the job to interrogate them for any information they may have. He’s seated with two of his brothers. They have their guns riding on their waists, in full sight. One by one, prisoners are brought in.

Will listens as best he can, but he lets his brothers ask the questions. His job is to take notes, which he does in shorthand. Most of the Italians speak of hiding in Albania, just waiting. Most don’t give up any secrets, any plans. Will’s slightly disappointed; he does know the price of treason. He also knows the price of war.

The last prisoner is one by the name of di Angelo. He’s a shorter man, hair closely cut, dark features. His uniform is wrinkled, dusted in a fine layer of dirt and soot. He’s got a cut on his cheek, a tear in his pants. His face is blank.

“Don’t ask me questions,” he says. “I know nothing.”

Michael nods, proceeding with the questions anyway. Even though most of the prisoners have no information, it is standard procedure to interrogate who they can. It’s more likely they’ll miss something if they only question every other one.

The man sits up straight in his seat, dark circles underneath his eyes. Will wonders what it’s like moving around with the war. He’s only ever been in Greece. His brothers have traveled more than he has. He listens with general interest as the man spits back simple answers. It’s clear that whether or not he knows something, he’s not giving anything up.

When it’s time for the man to leave, Will wants to ask him another question, if only to hear that voice again. But he doesn’t speak up. He merely checks over his notes, makes sure it’s all legible. He hands over his notebook, allowed to rest now.  
-  
Nico’s not sure what to think of Greece. It’s not better than Albania, though the people seem a bit more friendly. When they aren’t shooting at him, of course. He’s gotten used to the toughened looks, the weary faces, the strict orders. His whole life he’s been following orders, so why is the army any different? If he loses his life, he’s hardly lost anything.

Still, his mother will be grieved that he’s in enemy hands.

He takes out a book that one of the Greek soldiers smuggled him. He’s not sure why, and he spent a good twenty minutes waiting for it to blow up in his face. When it didn’t, he carefully opened it, surprised that it was simply a book. He can’t read much of it, his native and main language being Italian. But the book is in English, so he’s able to make out the gist of the story.

His cellmates ignore him, probably thinking that he’s brought the book himself. The Greek soldier was sneaky enough to pretend that he dropped the book, though hardly anyone even paid attention. For all Nico knows, the book isn’t even for him. Maybe the man really did drop the book.

Nico doesn’t care, though. He’s bored out of his mind, and he’d rather not think about what happens once everyone has been interrogated. So he fills his mind with English, doing his best to keep himself occupied and out of trouble.

In the morning, Nico’s escorted to a small room. His heartbeat picks up, though he does his best not to show it. He has a feeling that this is a one-way trip. The soldier’s posture is stiff and emotionless, perfect for executing a useless prisoner.

Nico finds himself being led to the same small room he’d been interrogated in. Instead of three men standing before him, there is only one. Nico’s pushed into a chair. The door clicks shut behind him. He turns to look at the Greek soldier.

He notices unruly blond hair and tired blue eyes. It’s the same soldier from last night. “You want to talk?” Nico asks. He feels more relaxed now, and he isn’t sure why. This man could still kill him in the blink of an eye.

The man smiles instead, leaning forward a little. “You caught my eye,” he says slowly. His English seems better than Nico’s. Nico feels the hairs on his arm stand up. He’s not sure which is worse, the thoughts running through his mind or being shot on the spot. “I’ve never been to Italy,” the man continues. “But I’ve always wanted to go. Is it nice there? When there isn’t war.”

Nico finds himself slowly nodding. He thinks of his childhood, of his mother’s cooking, of going to school, of not having to worry about when his next meal was or what was being rationed that day. “You want to talk?” Nico repeats, hoping he gets his point across.

“I’m Will,” the man says. “And yes. I want to talk.”

So they talk. It’s a little halted, fumbling here and there. Sometimes Nico has no idea what Will’s saying, and sometimes Nico doesn’t know how to say something to Will. Once or twice, Nico makes Will laugh. Once or twice, Will gets Nico to smile. Their talk is short, though, to avoid suspicion. Nico glances at Will’s notebook.

“Interrogation notes,” he says. “So I can see you again.” He winks at Nico, and Nico’s unsure of what to do except nod. What were the courting rituals in Greece? Why did he want to know? They were at war, enemies. He was a prisoner. This man, for all he knew, could be simply playing with him.  
-  
Will’s not sure what’s gotten into him. He knows he’s new to this whole war thing, but he’s not new to the presence of death, of destruction, of blind violence. He’s lost cousins, aunts, uncles, grandfathers. He’s lost people who have no way of making it back to their homeland. But he’s still fighting. Only, Will’s not sure he wants to fight.

And not just because of an Italian soldier named Nico di Angelo.

He’s been sneaking to Nico’s cell at night or escorting Nico to the interrogation room. Hardly anyone questions him as he’s mostly invisible to anyone who isn’t his brothers. He thinks about deserting, what it could mean, what could happen. He knows Switzerland is still neutral. He hopes it stays that way.

It’s late so Will sneaks to Nico’s cell. They can’t talk as there are other prisoners around, so they take turns reading chapters from a book. It’s not a very good book, in Will’s opinion, but it’s something to do. And it allows him to hear Nico’s voice, trade secrets in the dark, be near each other.

It’s in the second week of Nico’s imprisonment that Will brings up the idea.

“Let’s go to Switzerland,” he says. Nico frowns at him. “Together,” Will adds, in case the language was a barrier.

“Us,” Nico says. “Run away?” Will nods. He takes a deep breath.

“I really like you,” he says. He draws a tiny heart in the corner of a book page. Nico’s eyes widen, and, for a second, Will thinks he’s overstepped his boundaries. But then Nico’s eyes are crinkling a little as he smiles.

“I like you, too,” Nico says. He gets up from his usual chair, leaning across the desk. Will has time to take a breath before Nico is pressing his lips against Will’s. Will kisses back, careful not to let it get out of hand. He’s breaking so many rules right now. “Switzerland,” Nico says.

Will nods. They start planning how they’re going to get away. In three days, the Greeks are planning to move the prisoners. Will’s not sure if it’s a relocation or if they’re just going to shoot all of them. They’ve gotten all of the information they can out of the soldiers, even having to beat some of them, and any new prisoners aren’t offering up any additional information.

The fighting is still going on around Greece, the Italians making a valiant effort to overrun the small country. But Greece is fighting back just as valiantly. Will knows that they’re going to need some sort of distraction to make their break.

They also talk about transportation, about their outfits, about what they look like. Both are clearly from their respective countries, so crossing borders will be difficult. But true love is worth it. Because that’s what this is, right?  
-  
Nico hopes Will can follow through with his plan. He sees him marching behind a block of prisoners, his face expressionless, his eyes vacant. It’s scary to look at and makes Nico’s stomach roll uncomfortably. He focuses on his own task, winking at one of his prison mates. The rock hits the back of a Greek soldier’s helmet. The bullet shoots out of the gun.

Chaos ensues.

Will’s there shortly with the keys to unlock Nico’s handcuffs, and then they’re off. They duck into a nearby house to change into civilian clothes, doing their best to stash away their uniforms. They don’t want any innocents to die on their behalf.

Nico’s heart rate is elevated higher than he thinks it’s ever been, but with Will’s hand in his, he knows it’s worth it. Will gives him a quick peck on the lips before pulling him through the back streets that only a resident would know. Nico loses track of the streets they’ve crossed, the ones they’ve been on. And then they’re sneaking onto a train.

They hold their breaths as crew search the train carts for any runaways, any deserters, anyone and anything amiss. They don’t find anything, and Nico allows himself to breathe only once the train has begun moving. Only then does he curl up against Will’s chest, tracing out sweet nothings onto Will’s skin.

He hopes that the journey will be less trouble than they’ve planned for. Neither has super convincing identification, and with the war going on, eyes will be wary. But they know this.

Will falls asleep, his head lolling onto Nico’s shoulder. He smells of sweat and soap, a smudge of dirt just under his chin. Nico wipes at it, feeling the beginnings of a beard on Will’s chin. He’s never been able to see Will asleep, never been able to see him so vulnerable. And it’s humbling. That Will trusts him this much. He can hear Will’s heartbeat, the same pattern as his own. If Nico were anyone else, he could have stabbed Will through the heart several times before Will could even open his eyes.

But Nico doesn’t. Instead, he tucks Will closer, holding onto him like Will was the only thing that kept the world spinning. And maybe he was. Maybe, somewhere out there, amidst all of that rubble and fighting, someone would realize that all of their hearts beat the same. Underneath skin complexion and eye shape and head size, there was a human heart.

But until then, Nico was content to simply be in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Alors, c’est la guerre.” (So, this is war.)
> 
> comments are appreciated :)


	8. let me help you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's a prince, Will's a servant boy. Is true love possible?

Will hears footsteps in the hallway, and he mentally tells himself not to flinch. He’s sure it’s Mrs. Oakes, the headmistress, coming to tell him to hurry up, that he should have been done by now, that he’s slacking off. So he turns his head down, scrubs harder. Bubbles spring forth, and Will curses under his breath as the wiry bristles of the brush cut into his fingers again.

In all honesty, he’d have finished this job sooner if he had a softer brush, one that wouldn’t cause Will to bleed all over the freshly polished floors quite so often.

The footsteps stop just a few feet away from Will. He doesn’t dare look up. Instead, he keeps scrubbing, moving his sore arms in arching motions to move the soap around. It’s hard to tell if the floor is truly clean as it’s almost past midnight. HIs tiny candle doesn’t offer too much light, and his fingers are cramping from holding the brush so long.

“Let me help you,” comes a soft voice. Will startles, looking up. He sees a tall man, dark haired. HIs face is hidden in the shadows, but Will can tell he’s not a servant by the clothes he’s wearing. The man hurries away, disappearing down the hall. Will doesn’t expect him to come back.

“You don’t have to,” he says when the man returns. “I was supposed to have finished hours ago.” Even just sitting up enough to look at the man properly makes Will’s muscles protest. He’s pretty sure he’ll be a hunchback soon. The man lights a lamp, setting it on the floor beside them. He takes one of Will’s brushes, dipping it into the water.

“It’s past midnight,” the man says. “You should be sleeping.”

Will shakes his head. He doesn’t get rest breaks, only if he’s finished all of his chores. And he hardly has time before his next load of chores is assigned to him. “It’s my job,” he says. “The prince is to return, and Mrs. Oakes demands the place be spotless upon his arrival.”

For some reason, this makes the man frown. He scrubs harder. Will takes note that this man has no precise movements when it comes to washing the floors. It’s almost like he’s never held a brush before. But Will doesn’t call him out on it, just simply glad for the company.

“Well, I’m sure the prince would understand if the floors were not perfectly clean,” the man says. Will shrugs. He’s never met the prince. Since being given this job, the prince has been overseas for his studies. They move to another spot on the floor. Will’s almost done. He can see the area he started, and he smiles.

“He might, I suppose,” Will says. “Mrs. Oakes wouldn’t, though. Everything must be in tip-top shape or else it’s to be done again.” He shudders at the thought. He’s already lost count how many times he’s cleaned this floor. He winces as he slices his fingers once more, his thoughts distracting him from the task at hand.

He thinks of asking the mystery man’s name, but he doesn’t. He yawns, running soap through his hair as he attempts to brush it out of his face. His fingers sting whenever he puts them in the water. He hopes the cuts won’t get infected. That’s the last thing he needs to happen.

“How long have you been washing these floors?” the man asks.

“All day,” Will says. “The palace is quite large, and all of the other maids and servants have been assigned other jobs.” He shrugs. He knows why he gets the most grueling jobs. Even amongst the staff, there is a hierarchy, and he’s at the bottom.

“You should tell someone about that,” the man says. “That can’t be fair.” Will shrugs again.

“I should just be lucky to have a job at all,” he says. Though it’s not like he’s paid much of anything, only a few spare scraps and whatever coins he can find laying around. He won’t steal or beg. The man looks like he’s about to say something else, his brows creased, but Will just shakes his head.“We’ve finished,” he says. “Thank you.” It takes a minute or so for him to stand up, head spinning as he returns to his usual height. He bends over to pick up the buckets of water and his brushes.

“Let me bandage your hands,” the man says. “Please, so they don’t get infected.” Will holds up his buckets. He’s got to dump out the dirty water, scrub the buckets clean. And then he’s got to find somewhere to sleep before Mrs. Oakes is expecting him in the kitchen. “Please,” the man says again.

Will nods. He makes a note to come back for the buckets and brushes. He follows the man down the hallway. He doesn’t recognize all of the rooms. He’s only been here for two weeks, and he’s hardly allowed anywhere for fear of theft or trickery. He follows the man into a lavish room, suddenly unsure if this was a wise idea.

The man leads him into a bathroom, instructing him to sit on the counter. He washes Will’s fingers, applying soap and gentle touches as he dries rinses and dries them off. Then he spreads some ointment onto Will’s skin, carefully wrapping a bandage around each of his cuts. In the light, Will chances a few glances at the man. He’s certainly very handsome, regal features. His lips are pursed as he takes care of Will, stepping back when he’s finished.

Will bows slightly, thanking him. Then he hastens out of the room, grabbing his buckets. His fingers feel tingly, and he tells himself that it’s from the ointment. He hopes he’ll dream of that man’s smile tonight.  
-  
There’s a knock on the door the next morning, and Nico groans. He’s just gotten back late last night; he wants a little rest. Is that too much to ask for? He glances at his clock, groaning again when he realizes that he’s only gotten about four hours of sleep. His back is a little sore from crouching on the floor, and he’s got a few cuts along his fingers.

“My prince!” comes a voice. “The king is requesting your presence in the dining hall.” Nico makes a noise to let them know he’s heard. He hears footsteps moving away and falls back into his pillows. After a few moments, he drags himself out of bed. He should be thankful, he thinks, that he at least got sleep. He thinks of that servant boy last night. The circles under his eyes would rival any that Nico’s ever seen.

HIs father is sitting at the table when he arrives. His sisters and mom are also present. He smiles, thinking of how much he’s missed them while he was overseas. He loves diplomacy, but it was hard being so far away from home. He takes his seat, spooning some fruit onto his plate.

They ask about his travels, about his studies, about the people he met. He entertains them all with his stories, of the blind man he met, of the beggar, of the elaborate dances, the clothes, the music. He can still hear the bustling streets, smell the food, the accents so different from his own. He smiles as he remembers his travels.

There’s a knock on the door, interrupting his story about trying to settle a civil dispute. HIs father waves them in. A rather round lady hurries in, bowing several times until she’s acknowledged the entire room.

“My King, I wanted to extend a sincere apology to the prince,” she says. Hades nods. She turns to Nico. “My prince, I wanted to extend a sincere apology to you for having to scrub your own floors. I assure you that servant boy will be receiving his due punishment for trying to lay his chores in your hands.” She bows again, glancing at the king.

“Mrs. Oakes,” Nico starts. His father shoots him a look. “I accept your apology,” he finishes. He knows it’s not proper for a prince to be down on his hands and knees scrubbing floors. But that boy had just looked so sad and miserable, and his hands were bleeding. And Nico was pretty sure he was about to fall asleep in his bucket of dirty water. Plus, he was really cute.

Mrs. Oakes takes her leave, and Nico resumes his story. He feels a sinking in his chest at the apology. Should he not have helped? Was the servant boy being punished for letting Nico help? It was both improper for Nico to be cleaning his own palace as it was to dismiss a prince’s wishes. Did the boy even know who he was?

After breakfast, he finds himself wandering through the palace trying to find that blond-headed boy. He wasn’t sure where to look, so he thought of the most disgusting jobs he could think of. He thinks about telling his father about Mrs. Oakes, but she’d been on staff for at least thirty years now, long before his own time.

He eventually finds the boy picking weeds. It wouldn’t be too bad a job if it weren’t raining outside. The poor boy is shivering from head to toe, completely soaked. He plucks at the weeds, dropping them into a small pile. HIs face is pale, and Nico thinks he can see every single one of the boy’s freckles. (Nico’s heart does a happy dance at the thought of freckles.)

“Come inside,” he calls. The boy looks up, eyes widening.

“I cannot,” he says. “I must finish weeding. There is to be a garden party later this week, and the grounds must be spotless.” Nico curses his father’s organized planning, all of the social events. The servant boy plucks out a weed Nico wouldn’t even have seen if he were standing right next to it.

“Then let me get you a jacket or an umbrella.” The boy shakes his head again. If he were crying, Nico thinks, he wouldn’t even be able to tell. Nico curses, going to get both a jacket and an umbrella. He knew better than to dismiss the boy from his duties, not wanting him to get into trouble again.

“Please don’t bother,” the boy says when Nico returns. He’s already sopping wet, but at least the umbrella allows him to open his eyes wider. Nico smiles at the tired blue eyes. He sits down in the mud, plucking a weed. The roots don’t come out, and he hopes that it won’t cause too much trouble later.

“What’s your name?” Nico asks.

“Will,” he says. “Will Solace, sir.” He does an awkward dip with his head, wiping at his face.

“I’m Nico,” Nico says. Will nods.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but this is not a prince’s business. You should be inside with your studies or your music. Not out here in the rain. You’ll catch a cold.”

Nico smiles. “I’m here to keep you company.” Will nods again, looking away. He plucks out the weeds with a precision that tells Nico he’s done this many times before. They don’t talk much, mostly just Nico asking questions and Will answering them. Will doesn’t say much, probably afraid to speak ill of anyone in front of his prince.

It takes them three hours to weed the entire courtyard, and Nico’s definitely soaked to the bone now. He ushers Will inside after disposing of the weeds. Will’s visibly shaking, his teeth chattering. Even with his hair plastered to his face, he’s still beautiful. Nico frowns as he sees Will’s thin frame, his clothes hugging tight to his skeletal body. Nico’s sure if he lifted Will’s shirt, he’d be able to see ribs and hipbones. He resists the urge to do so.

“You need to warm up,” he says. Will shakes his head.

“I cannot. I have more chores to complete. If I don’t finish, I’ll lose my job.”

“What do you have to do?”

Will ticks them off on his fingers. “Polishing the silverware, scrubbing the patios, trimming the hedges, folding the napkins, ironing the sheets,” he says. He continues, rambling now. He’s having trouble getting words out his teeth are chattering so. Nico takes his hand, leading him down the hall. “My prince!” Will calls.

“Which is more trouble: saying no to a prince or not finishing your chores?” Nico feels bad about playing his status card, but he’s not sure what else will stop Will from practically killing himself over chores. Aren’t there other servants in the palace that can iron sheets and wash mud from the rugs? He knows his father employs a full staff, though it seems as if Will has everyone’s job.

He fills the tub for Will, adding some scented bubbles for fun. Then he tells Will to get in. He pulls the curtain so that he can’t see Will (to his disappointment). At first, Will just sits in the tub. Then he starts washing himself. Nico can see the outline of Will moving as he washes his hair, his body.

“You as well, my prince,” Will says once he’s toweled off and in fresh clothes. They’re raggedy and tattered, hanging off of Will like a tablecloth. But Nico knows better than to dress Will in his own clothes. He steps into the bath, self-conscious now that Will’s only a few feet away. He usually takes his time in the bath, but he makes this time quick. When he gets out, Will has dusted his room, now organizing his books.

Nico smiles fondly, if even a little sadly. “I’m sorry to have kept you. If she gives you any trouble, send her to me, okay?” Will nods, but something tells Nico he’ll take the blame himself.  
-  
Will’s not sure he should be getting used to this. His daily routine has become getting up, receiving his list of chores, hopefully a slice of bread. While doing his chores, Prince Nico will somehow find him, either helping him or trying to help. It always makes Will smile as he watches Nico trying to dust without sneezing or polish silver without getting it all over his nose. Nico always tries to talk to him, and Will wants to know more about Nico, but he doesn’t want to sound intrusive.

And sometimes Nico will insist on combing Will’s hair or on him taking a bath with those scented bubbles or that he have Nico’s old trousers. Once, he caught Will sleeping on the stairs, and he tried to get Will to sleep on his couch. Will accepted a blanket in the end, but he didn’t want to overstep any of the prince’s hospitality.

Mrs. Oakes frowns down at Will as he reports in the morning. “I don’t know what kind of manipulative trickery you’ve got up your sleeve, but I shall have you know that a prince does not clean his own castle. You’re to do your chores as I say.” She thrusts a list at him, storming off. Will wonders what she does all day since Will’s pretty sure she’s been slipping her chores onto his list.

Will sighs as he sees that he’s got to clean out all of the lanterns around the palace. It’s not a hard job, but it does require patience and time and organization. He hopes against his better judgment that he’ll run into Nico. Not surprisingly, he doesn’t see any other servants as he makes his way through the castle. They’ve all been assigned better jobs, ones that allow leisure time and actual sleeping quarters and pay.

Will does his best not to cry as he starts to clean out the lanterns. By the sixth lantern, his fingertips are sore, and he’s got wax stuck underneath his nails. He hears footsteps and does his best not to get his hopes up. Instead of Nico, it’s one of his sisters. She smiles at him, stepping around his workspace.

“Are you Will Solace?” she asks. Will nods, bowing his head. The girl smiles wider. “I think my brother is quite taken with you.” She nods before walking off.

Will isn’t sure what to do with this information. Nico likes him? Not that it really matters. Even a prince couldn’t have anything he wanted, least of all a servant boy to wed. No, Nico would choose a more suitable hand in marriage, a prince or a duke or a nobleman. Anything but a servant boy who didn’t even get paid.

Will yawns. He can’t remember the last time he got a full rest. It might have been last week when Mrs. Oakes had sent him to the stables for the day. Since at least the stablehands divided work evenly, he was able to finish before nightfall and get to sleep.

“Hi, Will,” comes Nico’s voice. Will turns around, automatically dipping his head as he does so. Nico blushes as he always does when Will bows. “May I help?” Will nods. Nico always asks, though he doesn’t take no for an answer.

“How are you?” Will asks. Nico smiles, telling Will of his breakfast that day. Will’s stomach growls, and Nico stops, eyes wide.

“I’m so sorry,” he says. “I completely forgot.” He chastises himself another moment before blushing again. “I brought you something.”

Will almost drops the lantern he’s holding when Nico produces a red rose from behind his back. He hesitantly takes it, smiling as he does so. Did this mean that Nico liked him as much as he liked Nico? The rose is fragrant, blooming. Nico breaks off part of the stem, sticking it behind Will’s ear.

“Thank you,” Will breathes. He still hasn’t gotten used to Nico’s gentle touches. No one here ever touched him. But Nico did, bandaging up his fingers, massaging his shoulders and back. He even kissed Will once, on the cheek, a good night.

“You’re beautiful,” Nico whispers. He’s already turned back to his lantern as he says this, but Will doesn’t miss the smile. They clean the lanterns in silence, walking through the halls together. If Will closes his eyes, he can almost imagine Nico courting him. He’d have flowers and chocolates, they’d go on strolls through the garden, snuggle in bed together.

“Will?” Will opens his eyes “Are you getting sick?” Will shakes his head.

“Just tired, Nico,” he says. “I don’t get much sleep.” Nico purses his lips, frowning. “I don’t need much sleep,” Will adds. He can tell Nico doesn’t believe him.

After an hour or so, Nico is called away to attend to some diplomatic matters, leaving Will alone. He wonders if Nico’s fingertips are also sore, if he was allowed to kiss Nico goodnight, if Nico would want him to. He touches the flower in his hair, smiling.  
-  
“What’s wrong?” Hazel is asking. Nico shrugs. He’s so tired of his garden party. He just wants to be able to slip away and go see Will. He can’t stop thinking of the boy’s soft voice, his laugh, his eyes, the way he always seems to think of Nico first, even if he’s about to pass out.

“These things are always so boring,” Nico says. Bianca raises an eyebrow at him. Nico’s never been completely comfortable at these events, but he’s always been able to pull on his poker face and make small talk. He catches his dad watching him from across the courtyard. Nico can’t help but notice how spotless the landscaping is, how there isn’t a single weed sprouting from the mulch. (He can still smell the mulch on his hands, a smell he associates with Will now.)

“You look like you’re daydreaming,” Hazel says, smiling. Nico thinks of Hazel’s love, of how Frank is someone that’s approved for marriage. How Hazel doesn’t have to sneak about behind everyone’s backs. For Will’s safety, Nico knows. He’s seen Will’s chore list, and he wishes he could do something about it. But Will won’t speak up, so Nico has little evidence against Mrs. Oakes.

“Go see your lovebird,” Bianca says. “I’ll tell Father that you were feeling under the weather.” She winks at him, giggling when someone looks their way. Nico thanks her, rushing inside.

He’s not sure where Will will be. He finds him polishing the banister, eyes falling shut every few seconds, his hip leaning heavily on the railing. When Will moves, his movements are choppy and jerky.

“Will,” Nico calls softly. Will turns to him slowly, moving to take a step. He trips, landing face first on the steps. Nico rushes to his side, trying to help Will up.

“Feel bad,” Will mumbles. He reaches up to rub his eyes, but Nico pulls his hands away. He’s got polish all over his hands. “Party over?” He sighs. “Go clean up,” he adds.

Nico shakes his head. “Will, come on. Follow me. You’re going to lie down. I don’t care what Mrs. Oakes says.” Will protests, but he doesn’t have the strength to defy Nico. Instead, he all but collapses into Nico’s arms. Nico half carries, half drags Will to his quarters. There he tells Will to strip and gives him some comfortable clothes to wear. He knows Will’s out of it when he doesn’t even put up a fight.

Will’s skin is so pale, and Nico can count his ribs. Will’s mumbling incoherently now, curling up on Nico’s bed. Nico pulls a blanket over him, kissing Will’s cheek. Will’s mouth twitches into a smile, his hand fumbling for Nico’s. “Don’t leave,” he whispers.

“I’m going to get a doctor,” Nico says. “You’re sick, Will.” He kisses Will again, waiting until he’s fallen asleep before slipping out. Nico runs through the halls, finding the doctor that they have on staff.

“I don’t treat servants,” he says, but Nico demands he come take care of Will. The doctor obliges, immediately checking over Will. Will protests to the doctor’s questions, his prodding, pushing his hands away. He whines. Nico feels his heart break.

“He’s severely dehydrated and underfed,” the doctor says. “And severely lacking sleep. I doubt he has any money to pay for the food and supplements he’ll need. Best to just get rid of him.”

Nico glares at the doctor, producing enough money to pay for all of Will’s expenses. “And tell my father I’m sending for him,” he adds. The doctor nods, hurrying away.

Nico crawls into bed beside Will, smiling a little as Will props himself up enough to lay his head in Nico’s lap. Nico runs his hands through Will’s hair, kissing his fevered cheeks. Will fists the blankets, sniffling a little. He’s mumbling again, and Nico only catches a few words, enough to know that Will thinks he’s going to get kicked out and left to die.

“I’m here,” he whispers. “I’m going to take care of you.” Will makes a noise in his throat, and then he’s dropping off to sleep again.

Hades arrives within the hour, and Nico quickly updates him on the situation. He watches his father’s eyebrows climb steadily higher, knowing that Mrs. Oakes will either be doing her own chores or leaving the palace forever. Then Hades is arranging Will’s care with the doctor, allowing him to stay in Nico’s room for the time being.

“We have some empty bedrooms if he’d prefer those,” Hades says. Nico shakes his head. It’s selfish, but he needs Will close to him. And Will doesn’t seem to be in any condition to be moved. He’s still incredibly weak. “Very well,” Hades says. “I’ll see to his care.”

Nico thanks him. Hades smiles. “I know you’ve been trying to court him,” he says. “I just want to let you know he has my blessing.” Nico beams, hugging his father.

“Thank you, Father.” Hades nods, moving over to Will. He whispers a few things in Will’s ear. Nico watches Will’s eyes widen slowly, a small smile appear on his face. Then Hades leaves.

Nico returns to Will’s side, sliding under the covers next to him. “I love you, Nico,” Will mumbles into his skin.

Nico thinks of all of the fairytales he’s read, all of the happy endings. While his story isn’t quite storybook perfect, he still couldn’t be happier. Will’s tracing hearts onto Nico’s arm, letting Nico kiss him to his heart’s content. He falls asleep shortly after that, clinging to Nico. Nico can feel his heart beating, the soft puffs of breath.

He can’t wait to see the look on Mrs. Oakes’s face when they walk into breakfast holding hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated :)


	9. feline sad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's cat dies. Will's a good friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone understands the pun. I'm not that great at puns.
> 
> warnings: pet death, mention of past death

Will’s not sure what to expect when he gets a call from Nico. It’s about one-thirty in the morning, and Will’s been asleep for two hours maybe. Sleep was precious to him, but so was Nico. So he answers his phone with a sleepy hello instead of some sleep=muddle aggressive comment.

He’s greeted with the sounds of sniffling. Instantly, he’s more awake, alert to the sound of Nico crying. “Will,” Nico finally manages. “Can you come over? I’m sorry to wake you. But Lucy just died. I think. I mean, she won’t move.”

Nico keeps rambling as Will looks around to find his shoes. He throws on some pants, his shirt decent enough. After all, Nico’s seen him in his boxers before, so there’s not much modesty left. Still, if he’s going to be attending a cat funeral, he wants to be somewhat decent.

“I’m on my way, Nico,” he says. His voice is a little hoarse from just waking up. Nico sniffles a reply, still on the phone. Will puts his phone on speaker, driving the five miles to Nico’s house. Nico’s his best friend, and he’d been planning on telling Nico how he felt. He guesses that’ll have to wait as Nico’s a bit too distraught.

He doesn’t knock on the door, just letting himself in. He finds Nico sitting on his bedroom floor, a cat gathered in his arms, his phone pressed to his ear. Will gently takes the phone, hanging up, before sitting down next to Nico. Nico’s head drops onto his shoulder with a long sigh.

“She was such a good cat,” Nico whispers. Then he starts crying again. Will just wraps his arm around Nico, wiping his nose and eyes. Will’s shoulder is wet, probably smelling of salt, but he doesn’t care. He’s told Nico that he would be his shoulder to cry on, and he intends to make good on his word.

It’s sometime around four in the morning when Nico finally falls asleep, too tired to cry anymore. Will gently lifts Nico into his bed, tucking him in. He kisses Nico’s forehead, wiping his nose once more. He pauses, deciding to prop Nico up a bit so that he would be able to breathe better.

He looks around for a place to put Lucy, deciding that her cat bed was the best bet right now. He wasn’t sure Nico would take kindly to Lucy being put in a shoebox, and he wasn’t about to stick her in the freezer. It would only be for a few hours, he thinks. He makes sure Nico’s still sleeping, setting out some water and more tissues in case Nico woke up. Then he crashes on the couch.  
-  
He’s awoken by Nico poking him. Normally, Nico would be the one to sleep in, but Will remembers that Nico always sets his alarm for seven to feed Lucy. Nico’s hovering over him, eyes red and sleepy, his mouth twitching. He looks like he’s going to burst into tears again, so Will just pulls him into a hug. Nico crawls into Will’s lap, sniffling.

“I didn’t think she was that old,” Nico says. “I mean, she’s eleven, I think. But cats can live to sixteen or even twenty, right?” Will doesn’t answer. He doesn’t actually know how long cats can live, but he does know Lucy has been around for a long time.

Nico had been ten when his older sister found Lucy on their back porch. Against their mother’s wishes, they brought the cat in, giving her a name and a trip to the vet. When no one claimed her, they took her in. And then Bianca had died, leaving Nico with only a cat to remember her by.

And now she was gone, too.

Nico lets out a whine, burying his face in Will’s chest. “It just feels so final, you know?” he asks. “Like, everything’s gone now. Like, I have to grow up.” Will rubs Nico’s back. Despite the stereotypes surrounding cats, Lucy was very playful and friendly. Will often had to argue with her over who got to sit next to Nico during movies (Lucy), who Nico loved more (still up for debate), and who would inherit Nico’s fortune should he pass away untimely (Will, because cats couldn’t manage money).

“She had the best life,” Will says. “Up there on her sunny perch. And her favorite pillow on your bed. She knew all of the best places in the house.” Nico nods, pulling back to wipe his nose with his hand. Will hands him a tissue. Nico blows his nose loudly, throwing the tissue at the coffee table. Will doesn’t bother checking to see if it made its destination.

“I can’t believe she’s gone,” Nico says. “I didn’t really see her last night, you know? I woke up thinking that she wasn’t in bed with me. Which was weird. And then I found her curled up under my bed. But she wasn’t moving. Or breathing.” He wipes at his face again.

“She’s up in kitty heaven now,” Will says. Nico smiles a little at that. He lets Nico cry for a few more minutes. “Are you hungry? I can probably fix something.”

Nico shrugs. Will carries him into the kitchen, Nico latching onto him. He moves around the kitchen, scrambling eggs and making toast. Nico eats silently, probably only eating because it’s a thing to do. “Can you help me clean her stuff out? I’m not really ready to get another cat. And I’m not sure how I feel about another cat playing with her stuff.”

Will nods. He lets Nico take his time, boxing Lucy up and decorating the lid. Then the box up her cat toys, her food, her dishes, her bed. Her perch stands next to it.  
“Do you want to bury her?” Will asks. Nico shrugs.

“I’m not sure it’s allowed,” he says. “I mean, other people live here. It’s an apartment complex.” Will shrugs back.

“There’s that alleyway thing,” Will says. “It’s pretty sunny and nice there.” Nico nods.

They sneak out to the alleyway thing, a shovel in Will’s hand, Lucy in Nico’s. Nico keeps watch while Will digs a small hole. Nico buries Lucy, saying a few words. When the funeral is over, Will does his best to put the grass back. Nico just looks at his work and shrugs.

“Only heartless people would ask me to dig her back up,” he says. Will agrees. They move Lucy’s stuff into Nico’s extra closet, Nico not quite ready to get rid of it. They end up watching TV until both of them fall asleep.  
-  
It’s been a week, and Nico still mostly goes through the motions. He goes to work, lets Will take care of him, calls his half-sister. Will’s not sure what to do to cheer him up, so he starts bringing flowers, chocolates, movies. He’s aware, somewhere in the back of his mind, that it looks like he’s courting Nico. He tells himself that he’s only trying to cheer Nico up.

He even brings flowers to plant over Lucy’s grave. Nico smiles at that.

So Will makes sure Nico eats and bathes and goes to sleep at semi-reasonable hours. Nico goes to work because it’s something to do. All the while, he’s working on something special for Nico, something he hopes will let Nico work through his grief. He realizes that Nico’s probably feeling his sister’s death all over again, even though it happened nine years ago. Lucy was Bianca’s cat first, after all.

“No food,” Nico says, opening his fridge. It’s mostly empty. There’s a juice box and a yogurt cup. In the pantry, Will finds half a loaf of bread, some crackers, and rice.

“Let’s go get groceries,” Will says. Nico doesn’t say anything as he goes to get his shoes. He mostly listens to Will nowadays, letting Will help him find things to do. Will doesn’t mind too much. He usually tries his best to give Nico options, but he remembers how Nico was when Bianca died. Sometimes choices were just too overwhelming when the mind was processing everything else.

They go to the grocery store, none of their usual banter about other customers, the song choices. Instead, Nico pushes the cart, grabbing things off of the shelves. Will mostly lets him choose what he wants, though he draws the line at four packs of Oreos and three packs of juice boxes. He doesn’t say anything when Nico completely skips the vegetable aisle. There are worse things than not eating vegetables for one week.

“Wanna go to McDonald’s?” Will asks. Nico nods, and Will smiles. It’s one of the few positive responses he’s gotten. Nico’s shoulders have probably gotten more exercise shrugging this week than the last three months combined.

Will drives to Nico’s favorite McDonald’s, the one with the outside playground. He likes that one best because the kids and their loud screeching stay outside and away from his food. It’s also the cleanest one and doesn’t smell like ketchup.

“Would you like a toy with that?” the cashier asks. “Girl or boy?” Nico just shrugs. The cashier sighs, dropping a toy into the Happy Meal before closing it up. Nico carries his box back to the table, going to get an unreasonable amount of ketchup.

“Thanks,” Nico says. He offers Will a smile, and Will returns it. He knows Nico’s doing his best, getting a little more responsive each day. “I know I’ve been a bit of a drag.”

Will laughs. “What toy did you get?”

Nico stops half-way through drowning his chicken nugget in ketchup to fish out his toy. He frowns for a moment before ripping open the plastic. His breath hitches as he realizes it’s an orange cat. It looks nothing like Lucy, too stylized and cartoony, but it could have been her.

“The universe just thinks it’s so funny, doesn’t it?” Nico asks, but he’s smiling a little. He sets the toy down gently, looking at it fondly before finishing off his chicken nuggets and fries. He gets a refill of his soda. “Do you think Bianca’s happy to see Lucy again?”

Will smiles. “Yeah, and they’ll take good care of each other until you get there. Hopefully, not for at least sixty more years.”

Nico scoffs. “Trying to do me in early, Solace? I expect to live to at least eighty-five.” Will bursts out laughing, not expecting the humor. Nico’s smile widens a little.

On their way back, Will swings by his place. “A surprise,” he says when Nico looks at him. He gets back in the car, handing Nico a wrapped object. Nico looks at him as Will starts to drive back to Nico’s apartment. Will nods. Nico rips the paper off.

“Oh my gosh,” Nico whispers. “Will.” His voice cracks as he opens the photo album. It was a gift that Will’s been working on for a while. It was supposed to be Nico’s birthday present, but that was still a few months off from now. And Will felt that Nico would appreciate the gift now.

It was a photo album of Nico and Will and Bianca as childhood buddies, friends through the years. Bianca disappears from the photos after her death, but it was clear that she was still in their lives. Will had gone back through, inserting pictures of Lucy in there, too. There was Nico and Bianca when they’d first brought her home, Lucy’s third birthday when Nico had attempted to bake her a cat-food cake, Nico and Lucy at Bianca’s grave.

Nico’s crying by the time they make it back to his apartment, and Will’s glad he put in the extra work to laminate the pages. “Will, this is beautiful,” Nico sniffs. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

Will smiles, brushing Nico’s hair back. “Of course. I loved her, too.” He doesn’t clarify which her he’s talking about, but it’s clear to Nico that he means both Bianca and Lucy. Nico leans forward to hug Will, and it’s a little awkward, but Nico and Will were never the smoothest of friends. So the seatbelt chokes Will a bit, and the center console is probably not comfortable to lean on, but they make it work.

“Oh my gosh,” Nico whispers again. “Is that Lucy?”

Will whirls around, expecting to see some ghost cat. Instead, he sees a tabby kitten sniffing at some bushes. Nico’s out of the car in seconds, scooping up the cat. By the time Will’s out of the car, Nico’s inspecting the cat, the cat batting at Nico’s nose.

“Are you lost little guy?” Nico asks. The cat just meows. “He doesn’t have any tags. And he’s too scruffy to have run away.”

Will just shrugs. He’s not sure if adopting another cat so soon after Lucy’s death is a great idea, but he can’t tell Nico no. Not when Nico’s cooing so sweetly, scratching the cat’s ears, the cat purring back. So he just guides Nico back to the car, heading to the vet.

Nico looks satisfied by the decision. “I think I’m going to make you Linus.” The cat purrs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feline sad - feeling sad (haha like it?)
> 
> Also, like Linus and Lucy? If you like Peanuts.
> 
> comments are appreciated :)


	10. snapshots (4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> featuring sleepy boys and how not to shave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the one-shots are not connected

Nico’s more than tired after having to work back to back shifts, a closing shift and then an opening shift. His feet are sore, and his legs shake when he walks. He’s afraid to sit down for fear that he won’t be able to convince himself to get up again. So he eats an early lunch (late breakfast) before stripping off his uniform.Will’s a lump in the bed, having come home sometime while Nico was at work from his own very late shift. Nico smiles at his boyfriend’s snores, how he’s cuddling the pillow. He always seems to do that when Nico’s not there to snuggle with. Nico always teases Will about it, but he finds it adorable. He scratches their cat’s ears, pulling off his socks. Then he carefully crawls into bed, knowing that Will’s been working for the past ten hours.

He’s just wrapped his arms around Will’s waist (already more than half asleep) when Will’s leg kicks out, sending Nico toppling off the bed. Nico’s dazed for a few moments, his sleepy mind trying to comprehend what just happened. He peers onto the bed, noting that Will’s merely flipped over, his snores louder now that they’re not muffled by a pillow.

“What the heck, Will?” Nico shouts. Will makes a noise, his eyes opening slowly. He blinks, rubbing his face.

“What’re you doing down there?” Will yawns, shifting so he can see Nico better. “Come cuddle with me. You look tired, Nico.”

Nico humphs, now a bit more awake than he wants to be at this moment.

“You just kicked me out of the bed, Solace,” Nico says. Will blinks at him, already falling back asleep. Nico crawls back onto the bed, poking Will’s cheek. “You kicked me out of the bed. Literally. What the heck!”

Will’s mouth makes an O shape which quickly turns into a yawn. “I thought you were the cat.” Pause. “You know how he always pretends to snuggle with me. Before he sticks his claws into my skin.” Will pouts. “It was self-defense. Precautionary self-defense.”

Nico raises his eyebrows, but he’s too tired to argue right now. And Will’s already pulling the blankets over him, burying his face in Nico’s shoulder. Nico makes a grumbling noise as Will kisses his neck.

“Sorry,” Will adds. “It’s probably a good thing you weren’t the cat.”

Nico laughs, his sleepy mind playing an image of their cat flying through the air. Nico thinks he might have a bruise where Will kicked him. “No wonder he hates you.”

Will huffs. “He hated me way before I even thought about sending him flying. Besides, he started it.”

Nico rolls his eyes, settling into Will’s arms. He’s so tired, and he’s got stuff to do later today. But that’s later. Right now, all he wants to do is sleep for twenty hours straight. Will seems to have the same idea, soft snores puffing against Nico’s collarbones.

Nico smiles. He quickly sets an alarm, knowing that if he doesn’t, both of them will sleep into the next day. Then he cuddles closer to Will, smiling just as little as he hears the cat’s bell. He dares that cat to jump onto the bed.  
-  
“Nice stubble, di Angelo,” Percy calls across the dining hall. Nico frowns, running a hand over his chin. Sure enough, he feels the tiny hairs. He eats his breakfast quickly, ignoring Will’s wandering eyes, rushing back to his cabin. Once alone, he locks himself in the bathroom.

He hoists himself up onto the counter, trying to get a better look. He can’t believe he’s missed the hairs growing right under his nose. He’d kind of thought that it’d be something he’d notice right away, that one day he’d wake up and realize that he was growing facial hair. Except, it seemed that he’d been growing facial hair for a few days now and hadn’t known.

Now he had two options: let them grow or shave them off. While shaving sounded like a lot of work, so did having a beard. Besides, he wasn’t quite sure Will liked men with facial hair. And since Nico really liked Will, he wanted to appear attractive to Will. Thus, he decided to shave the tiny hairs away.

Which is how he ended up knocking on Percy’s door. Percy answers, grinning. “Hey, man. I was just about to come and find you. Want to spar?”

Nico shakes his head. “Maybe later. Can you teach me how to shave?”

Percy’s grin grows. “Sure, bro. Anything for you.” He pulls Nico inside. “So, are you going for a clean-shaven look or maybe just some styling?”  
Nico looks at Percy. He can literally count the hairs on his chin. It’s not like he’s got enough to really style. “Clean-shaven,” Nico says. Percy gives him a thumbs up.

“That’s what I’m thinking, too,” he says. “I hear Apollo men don’t really like beards.” Nico fights off a blush. On the other hand, a beard might be able to hide blushes.

Percy takes Nico into his bathroom, turning on the lights. “Okay, so what do I do?” Nico asks as Percy starts pulling out stuff. There are bottles and blades and a few other things that Nico doesn’t think are necessary.

“So, shaving cream and a good blade are the best tools,” Percy says. “Here. Put some in your hand and rub it on your face. Just where the hair is, though. It’s not a facial cleanser.”

Nico rolls his eyes, but he does as Percy tells him. He smooths the cream over his chin and upper lip. Percy does the same. “And now, you want a good blade. They sell these little razor things, but the blades aren’t always very good,” Percy says. “I use Riptide. That way I know that the blade’s sharp.”

Nico holds his breath as Percy angles the sword to his face. Then in one smooth motion, a stripe of shaving cream is gone. Percy turns to show Nico the clean-shaven area. “See? All there is to it. Steady hands and a good angle.” Nico nods slowly as he watches Percy shave the rest of his face. He’s a little unsure about this. After all, mortals had to shave, and he doubted they used battle-ready swords. They seemed to get along okay with the dinky unreliable razors.

“Your turn, man.”

Nico takes the sword. The weight is unfamiliar in his hands, but he’s not about to try this with his own sword. Stygian iron was a bit different. Nico wants to close his eyes, but he thinks that that’s probably not the smartest idea. Percy helps with the angle, and then Nico repeats Percy’s motion to the best of his abilities. All in all, he manages to remove the shaving cream, but the stubble is still there.

He tries again. His second time isn’t too much better. “Dude, you’ve faced monsters and can summon zombies. This is just shaving. Most everyone does it at least once somewhere. I know you can do this.”

Nico nods. He tries again. This time, he’s relieved when he sees a few tiny hairs amongst the shaving cream. Then he realizes that his face is stinging. Then Percy’s quickly grabbing at the toilet paper, holding it to Nico’s face.

“No need to worry,” he says. “I’ve nicked myself a few times, too.” Nico’s face is starting to hurt, and he wonders if he’s accidentally lopped off his entire chin. He hopes not. He doesn’t want to have lost his chin to something as stupid as a shaving accident. Not when he’s fought two wars and risen from the dead.

Percy removes the toilet paper, and Nico carefully sets down the sword. “Maybe we should go and see Will,” Percy says slowly. Nico wants to disappear, but he shadow-travels the two of them to the infirmary.

“Shaving with Percy?” Will asks, frowning. Nico’s about to ask how Will knew so quickly when he realizes that he’s still got shaving cream all over his face. “For the last time, Percy, we have razors for a reason. Or even daggers, really.” Will shakes his head, ushering Nico into the back. Both of them ignore Percy’s response.

“It kind of stings,” Nico says. Will nods.

“That could be the shaving cream. Or even just shaving itself.” He shrugs. “In all honesty, if you want to know how to shave, I’m going to recommend that you ask literally anyone but Percy. Even Piper or Annabeth could show you a better way.”

Nico nods. “I’m starting to see that,” he says. Will smiles, washing Nico’s face off. Luckily, he doesn’t have enough stubble for anyone to notice that he’s shaved off a few hairs. Will puts some ointment on Nico’s face before putting a band-aid on it.

“Should be good in a day or so. I’d hold off on the shaving for maybe a week until that heals up completely.” Nico nods again.

“Hey, Will?” he asks. “Do you think you could teach me how to shave?” Nico doesn’t comment on Will’s perfectly smooth face.

Will nods. “Yeah, I could show you a few things. First things first: mortals use razor blades nowadays, and those are good enough for demigods, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated :)


	11. you're a demigod, will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Will learns he's not a mortal and neither is his boyfriend.

Mortal school isn’t something Nico would be bearing without having to. His father, Hades (also known as the god of the Underworld and wealth), was playing his dad card, sending Nico to mortal high school. Nico was still allowed to stay at Camp Half-Blood, though, seeing as Nico was a child of the Big Three. Nico already thought it was kind of risky to send him to school, his father wouldn’t hear it. And neither would Chiron.

Which left Nico with no choice but to attend the high school and do his best to graduate. His only problem was that he wasn’t that great of a student. He could be, he knew, if only he wanted to. Problem was, he didn’t want to. Which led to weekly (if not daily) lectures from a certain Will Solace.

“You know, Nico, I could tutor you,” Will is saying now. “I could really help you bring up those math scores.”

Nico just shrugs. “Doubt it,” he says. “Didn’t you call me an idiot just this Friday? Idiots can’t bring up their math scores. Unless you’re offering to do my homework for me.” Will lets out a slow breath. He wasn’t one to get frustrated or angry easily, which frustrated Nico a bit.

“I’m not offering to do your homework, di Angelo,” Will says evenly. “I’m just saying that you could put a bit more effort into your education. I mean, you can’t ride on your father’s money for the rest of your life.” If only Will knew that he could.

“Says who?” Nico asks.

“Why’re you even here if you don’t care? You can drop out, you know?” Will hitches his backpack back onto his shoulder. Nico bets it’s straining with at least three textbooks and some ‘light’ reading.

“Maybe I just like making your life difficult,” Nico says. Will’s nose scrunches up.

“Well, you won’t have to worry about me after graduation. I won’t be here to nag you about your work ethic.” Will holds up his hands, sighing as he heads to his class. Nico waits until the last second before following Will into their shared English class.

He did have to admit that English was a bit of a trickier subject simply because of his dyslexia. But he’d read most of these books, and he could just ask Annabeth for a brief run-down of the material if he ever got hung up. He’s pretty sure Will’s read these books at least two times through as well, judging by the number of times he’s answered the teacher’s questions.

Not that anyone cares. The less work they have to do, the better.

Nico’s tempted to kick his feet up onto the desk, but he’s not a delinquent. He’s simply a kid forced to attend high school against his will. Nico knows better than to go up against a god. (He’s done it before, and it’s never ended well.)

“Di Angelo and Solace,” comes the teacher’s voice. Nico startles, not paying attention to anything the teacher had been saying before. Will’s hand is already in the air.

“Could I please have a different partner?” Will asks. He shoots a glare at Nico. Nico just shrugs. He’s not sure if he wants the teacher to say no just so that Will will have to deal with it or get out of doing this project with insufferable know-it-alls like Will Solace.

“I’m sorry. I drew these pairs randomly,” the teacher says. “Left it up to fate.”

Nico as going to have a talk with those sisters when he had some downtime.  
-  
“So, I think we should just suck it up and do this the right way first,” Will is saying. Nico feigns boredom. “You can come over to my house tomorrow after school, and we can probably get most of it finished. Then we won’t have to see each other again, yeah?”

Nico just shrugs. “Sure, fine. Whatever. Give me your number.” Will flushes a little at this. Nico chalks it up to Will being too busy to notice literally everyone flirting with him. (Everyone knew Will was bi, and everyone was hoping that they’d be the one Will put down his textbook for. Nico wasn’t sure why; he didn’t see the appeal. Will was just a big nerd with freckles and bright blue eyes.)

He notes that Will has put his contact in, a smiley face beside his name. He shrugs again, assuming Will also dots his I’s with little hearts.

“Truce?” Will asks. “Just until this project is finished. I know you probably don’t care, but I need a good grade on this.”

“Sure,” Nico says. He gives in to Will’s handshake, relaxing a little as Will gives him a hesitant smile. He sends a text to Will so that Will can save his number. Then he’s turning on his heels and walking away. His hand feels warmer than usual, and Nico blames that on Will practically embracing his hand.

Percy is waiting for him when he gets back to camp. “So, anything fun and exciting happen at school today?” Percy asks. He’s taken up the mom role, always meeting Nico when he gets back, always asking how his day has been, always trying to get Nico to eat a snack. (Today he’s brought a granola bar and a juice box. Nico takes the juice box.)

“Fine. Nothing really happened. I’ve got a project. I’m meeting up to work on it tomorrow, so don’t wait for me.” As much as he grumbles about Percy waiting for him, he actually kind of likes it. Although, he wishes Percy wouldn’t act like such a mom.

“Where are you going? Who are you meeting up with? Will you be back for dinner?” Percy spouts off the questions like he’s memorized the list of them. “Should I come with you?”

Nico shakes his head. “It’s just a guy from school. And I’m going to his house since I can’t exactly invite him to mine. I don’t know when I’ll be back. And no. I don’t need my ‘mom’ tagging along,” Nico huffs. Percy ruffles his hair.

“Don’t say I didn’t offer,” he says. Nico just rolls his eyes.  
-  
Nico has no idea what to expect. Will drives a sensible-looking car, just one step away from a mini-van, honestly, Nico thinks. Will makes sure he’s buckled up before turning the car on and reversing out of the parking lot. Nico fiddles with Will’s radio stations, hoping that he’ll say something. Will just hums along to whatever comes on, seeming to know every song.

“So, it’ll just be the two of us. Mom’s working late tonight,” Will explains. Nico nods. Will leads him to the kitchen, putting his stuff down on the table. It’s a small house, only one story. From the kitchen, Nico can see into both bedrooms, the living room, and the bathroom. “Do you want anything to eat or drink?”

Nico shrugs. He’s always felt a bit out of place being in people’s houses. He doesn’t remember the domesticity of it all. His most recent memories of family have been set in camp. Will grabs some juice boxes and pretzels, sitting down. He shoves a handful into his mouth before starting to pull out his books.

“So, I took some notes during class today. I was thinking that we could maybe make a comic of it,” Will says. Nico’s surprised at the idea. He was thinking of just making a poster or something simple. “I mean, if you want to. Since you’ll be the one drawing it. I have no artistic skill whatsoever, and I don’t think stick people will get an A.”

“Right,” Nico says. “It sounds like a lot of work.”

Will shrugs. “It can be, but I think that it’d be really cool. We would only have to do a few scenes, not the entire book.” He pauses. “I know you can draw. I’ve seen your doodles.”

Nico frowns at Will. When would Will have been able to see his drawings? He only ever drew in his sketchbook. And sometimes in the margins of his notes, but they always sit on opposite sides of the room. Was Will stalking him?

“I think this is just your way of trying to get me to do all of the work,” Nico says. Will shoves another handful of pretzels into his mouth. “I mean, you say you can’t draw. But how do I know you’re telling the truth?”

Will points towards the refrigerator. There are several report cards up there, a calendar, some alphabet magnets, and a drawing. “See that picture there? Tell me what you think it is.”

Nico squints at the rough crayon drawing. There are splashes of color everywhere, and Nico locates two main drawings that he thinks are the focus of the piece. One looks like a snowman sort of figure with stick arms and a very large head. The other one looks kind of like a flower with hands.

“A person and a flower?” Nico guesses. He’s just humoring Will.

Will shakes his head. “It’s two people on a beach,” Will says. “Or, at least, that was the intention.” He sighs. Nico squints at the drawing again. He assumes that the giant splash of yellow was either the sun or the sand. The blue, even though it was positioned in a badly drawn circle, was probably the ocean. He wasn’t sure what the purple dots were, though.

“Okay, so how do I know a sibling didn’t draw this?” Nico asks. Yes, he’s still being difficult.

“I don’t have any siblings. Just Mom and I.” Nico stops himself from frowning. Whenever he imagined Will’s family (which he’s never done), he always pictured a mom and a dad and at least one sibling, maybe even two. He guesses that explains why Will has so much time to study and think up insults for Nico.

“That’s a childhood drawing, though,” Nico points out. He used to draw like that when he was five, too. Almost every kid drew like that when they were little.

“Well, it’s the best one,” Will says. “I won’t let Mom put up anything more recent because they’re all worse.” Nico sighs. Will should be on the debate team. “So, can we just decide that you’re the better artist?”

“Did you just say that I’m better at something?” Nico asks, raising his eyebrows.

Will shrugs, a small smile slipping onto his face. “Maybe, maybe not.” And it almost feels like flirting, so Nico panics to shut down whatever’s happening. He reaches across the table, grabbing some pretzels and eating them slowly. Will seems to sense the end of that conversation, pulling out his notebook.

“So, I kind of planned out what the comic panels could be,” Will says. He turns his notebook so that Nico can see it. Nico doesn’t remark on the badly drawn squares full of stick people either killing each other or grilling. He can’t tell. He guesses Will wasn’t lying about being a bad artist.

“Yeah, maybe caption them or something. I can’t tell what the heck this is.” Will laughs, and Nico feels a small fluttering feeling in his stomach. He squashes it quickly. He watches Will jot down what’s happening in each panel, and Nico starts to see the comic form. He’s never done a comic before. He usually just draws whatever comes to mind, whatever’s right in front of him. Drawing was an easy pastime that could be done almost anywhere and with almost anything.

“Do you think this works? Or should we add a few more panels? Or change the words?” Will keeps rattling off questions. Nico tunes him out, pulling Will’s notebook closer. He takes out his phone to take a picture when Will rips out the page. “Just take it. I trust you to not burn it or something.”

Nico snorts. He wasn’t self-sabotaging. “I guess I could clean up your sketches a bit before I do the real things. I don’t really have my materials with me right now.” Will nods, getting up. He disappears into his room, coming back with paper and markers.

“My mom had hopes that I’d be artistic like my dad, but it never came through. Of course, I don’t quite fit many of his characteristics, apparently.” Will shrugs. Nico wonders if that bothers Will. He’s relatively decent at reading Will’s expressions and tone after being pestered by him, but he’s never had to read more than a few emotions.

“I’m more like my mom,” Nico says slowly. “I don’t think my dad quite likes that.” He shrugs. It doesn’t bother him too much anymore. Hades was trying to be a better father, so Nico had to give him credit for that. “Though, I kind of wish I was a little more like my dad. People always say he’s creepy and ominous.”

Will laughs. “You want to appear more dark and dangerous?” Will’s smiling again, and it’s doing funny things to Nico’s stomach. He wonders if Will somehow drugged the pretzels. “I knew it was on purpose. No one could possibly wear that much black without trying to.”

“Which also means you’re trying to damage everyone’s eyesight with your neon shirts and horrible fashion choices,” Nico says, smirking. He feels like he’s in dangerous territory. He ducks his head back down to focus on his drawing.

“It’s not neon. Just pastel. Though, everything would look brighter than your black, I suppose.” Will leans closer, looking at the rough sketches Nico’s already finished. He can sketch quickly, learning how to get something down on the page before it disappears.

Will’s breath puffs against Nico’s arm, and Nico thinks he should be more irritated than he is. Because he’s not a bit irritated. Not that he likes it, either. Will watches him finish a few more panels before siting up and stretching out his arms. Nico finishes the first strip before looking up.

“I knew you were amazing,” Will says. His cheeks flush a little. “At drawing, I mean,” he adds. Nico shrugs.

“And you’re really good at just sitting there. Doing nothing.”

“Looking pretty,” Will says. Nico’s hand smudges one of his sketches as he turns to look at Will again. “Don’t deny it, Nico.” Will smirks, and Nico feels his stomach drop out from under him. It’s like Will’s entire face has been rearranged now, his freckles falling into some seductive pattern, his eyes brightening, his smile catching at Nico’s breath.

“Whatever, Solace,” Nico manages, looking away. He decides that he’ll sketch out the rest of the comics if it means that he can compose himself. Because Will Solace is not attractive. He’s just a really annoying nerd who’s always on Nico’s case. He’s definitely not flirting with Nico. (Even if they’re both very gay, there’s a slight chance that Will likes girls more. And Nico wants to latch onto that.)

By the time his hand is cramping from sketching so much, he realizes that it’s almost dark outside. He stretches out his hand, hearing Will’s stomach growl. He glances down at his sketches, realizing that they’re a bit more drawing than sketch. He’d been so focused on not looking at Will.

“Hungry? I can probably whip up some dinner,” Will says. “You’re welcome to eat here. Mom won’t mind.”

Nico shakes his head. He’s already got some weird feeling in his stomach. He’s not sure he could stay here and watch Will make dinner for the two of them. Nope, no way. “Sorry. I’ve got to get home. I didn’t realize it was so late.” At least part of that was true.

Will nods, looking a bit disappointed. Did Nico read that right? Will stands up, waiting for Nico to pack up his stuff. Then he drives Nico home. Nico gives him directions to a neighborhood that he knows of. He hopes Will won’t be a gentleman and watch to make sure he’s inside safely.

“Just drop me off here,” Nico says. Will stops outside a badly lit house, the lights inside already off. Will looks uncertain. “It’s just my dad and me, and he works pretty late.” Will nods. Like a gentleman, he doesn’t pull away the minute Nico’s out of the car. Instead, he seems to be waiting for Nico to walk inside.

Nico waves to him to go on, walking up to the front door. He’s not going to just walk into a random person’s house. He hopes it’s dark enough that Will won’t see him shadow-travel away.  
-  
Nico’s walking into the school when someone bumps into him hard. He loses his footing on the stairs, falling a bit. He curses the existence of ripped jeans as they have no padding for when he falls. And now his knee is bleeding, like some kindergartner who fell on the playground.

“Shoot. I’m so sorry, Nico. I wasn’t paying attention.” Will helps him up, walking him to the bathroom. It’s empty despite the morning rush, and Nico realizes that they’re in an employee bathroom.

“I’m fine, Solace, It’s just a scrape. Also, how did we get in here?”

“It was unlocked,” Will says. Nico raises his eyebrows. He didn’t peg Will to be able to pick locks, even if it was just to use the bathroom.

“Why’re we in here, anyway? You going to beat me up or something? Shove some math homework down my throat? Hold me hostage?”

“Geez, why’re you always so pessimistic?” Will asks. He bends down to look at Nico’s knee. His breath puffs over Nico’s skin. Nico shivers. Then Will’s cleaning it, and Nico’s cursing him.

“Just let it be, Will. It’s fine. I’ll just slap a band-aid on it.” Will shakes his head, glancing at Nico. He seems nervous now.

“I can sometimes do this thing,” Will says slowly. “But you have to trust me, and you can’t tell people about it, okay?”

“If you’re talking about blowjobs, I think most people can do it with a little practice.” Will blushes, seeming to realize that he was basically at eye level with Nico’s crotch.

“No,” he says. “Look, just promise not to tell anyone.”

“I promise,” Nico says. Then he crosses his arms as he waits for Will to do whatever he’s going to do. He half expects Will to rip his pants off or punch Nico in the knee. Instead, Will presses his hands around Nico’s leg. Nico jerks a little, not sure if this was some weird plan of Will’s. He never pegged Will for a creep, but it was always the ones you never expected.

Then Nico’s leg starts to feel warm, his knee itching just a bit. When he looks down, Will’s hands are glowing faintly. Nico bites his tongue to keep himself from saying something. Because he’s pretty sure Will’s a demigod. Or something mystical and unreal. He’s even surer when Will removes his hands, and there’s not a single hint of a cut or scrape anywhere. There isn’t even a scar.

“What. The heck. Was that?” Nico asks. He’s seen people do it before, but only a small number of demigods can heal with this type of precision and efficiency.

“Um,” Will says, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s just something I can do. I’ve always been able to do it. Just think of what I want to do, and then it’s healed. But only healing. I can’t, like, control your mind or anything,” he says. “So, uh, don’t worry about that.”

“So you’ve always been able to heal things,” Nico says. Will nods slowly. Nico holds his tongue. He’s not quite sure what the best way to explain this is. He’s never had to do it before. Usually, older campers got that job. Campers like Percy or Annabeth. “I won’t tell anyone.”

Will nods. “My mom knows. I kind of thought she’d submit me to a scientific experiment or disown me, but she took it pretty well, actually.” Nico shrugs. He figures learning that you’ve just procreated with a god was more jarring than realizing that your son could heal thing with his hands.  
“Can you only heal injuries? Or can you also heal sickness or something?” Will shrugs.

“I’ve only tried injuries. They won’t exactly let me get close to serious illnesses and things. And it’s hard to tell with colds and such.” Nico nods. “Right, um, well, you can go to class now. We’re probably late. And I still haven’t gotten my recommendation from Mr. Smith. Which was what I was doing when I ran into you. Sorry again.”

Nico shrugs. “No big deal.” Will rushes off with another apology. Nico heads to class, trying to focus on the lesson so he won’t have to think about Will. Of his warm healer’s hands, of him being a demigod, of his death against Nico’s skin. Of how Nico’s stomach always feels funny now whenever he thinks of Will.  
-  
Nico’s at Will’s house again. He’s finished the rough sketches, so now they’re working on the final part. Will’s watching Nico ink in his lines before letting Will write out the words. (Nico has the nicer handwriting, but it’s all cursive, which isn’t great for comics.) They’re working in silence, which is weird for Nico. He’s not used to being quiet with Will. They’re always bickering or something.

But something’s changed in the last week or so. Now, instead of lecturing Nico on being a better student, Will just waves and says hi. Or he’ll ask how Nico’s classes are going. Or just smile at him. And Nico’s not sure what’s changed, only that they’re being nicer to each other. He thinks it’s probably the truce.

“Hey, want to stay for dinner?” Will asks. It’s a Friday, which means campfire night at camp. But Nico’s been on the fence about attending all week, and dinner with Will would be the perfect excuse not to go. So he nods. Will’s smile widens somehow. “Cool. I can make pasta or sandwiches.”

Nico nods, going back to his work as Will starts making dinner. “Do you like Ragu or Prego?” Will asks, holding up two cans of tomato sauce.

Nico eyes them. “I don’t like canned tomato sauce,” he says. “I’m not a heathen.”

Will huffs. “Well, then I guess you’re eating them plain.” Nico finishes what he’s doing before standing up.

“Do you have tomatoes?” Will nods. Nico searches through the fridge and pantry, somewhat aware that he’s probably overstepping his boundaries. He doesn’t know when he’s become so comfortable at Will’s house. He asks for things, and Will points them out, putting the pasta in the boiling water.

Nico chops tomatoes, settling for dried herbs in lieu of fresh ones. Will just leans against the counter, watching him. Nico doesn’t say anything. He’s already started, so he’s not going to think about the consequences until he’s finished. Half an hour later, he’s finished making fresh tomato sauce. Will’s looking at him, wide-eyed.

“That was kind of amazing.” Nico rolls his eyes. “No, really. No strings attached. That was amazing. And it smells wonderful.” Nico shrugs, plating the food. Will leads them to the couch to eat. Nico thinks that tomato sauce and a couch don’t really mix, but he doesn’t say anything.

“This is heavenly,” Wills says. “I can’t remember the last time I had a home cooked meal that wasn’t frozen beforehand.”  
“Does your mom always work late?”

Will shrugs. “She’s a nurse, so she’s always got odd hours.”

“So,” Nico asks casually. “What do you know about Greek mythology?”

Will glances at him before stuffing his face with pasta. “Like Zeus and Hera and stuff?” Nico nods. “The basics, I guess. There was a unit on it in last year’s English. But I’m not that kind of nerd, you know?” He’s going to be, Nico thinks, whether to not he wants to.

“What do you know about Apollo?” Nico asks.

Will gives him another look. “He’s the god of medicine, isn’t he? And, like, a bunch of other stuff.” Will finishes off his pasta, settling further into the couch. He yawns. Nico’s not sure how to continue.

“Do you believe the stories and all?” Nico asks hesitantly.

“What do you mean? Like, if they’re real?” Will shrugs. “I mean, they’re pretty cool stories. A little gruesome, a little tedious. But it’s still cool. Though, I’m not sure if I’d want them all to be real. Some of the gods aren’t exactly the smartest.”

Nico snorts. He hopes that none of the gods strike them down right now. He sets his bowl next to Will’s. Will flips on the TV, pulling a blanket over his legs. He offers Nico a corner, and Nico accepts. He’s not sure what they’re doing now, not sure why he accepts. But now he can feel Will’s body heat.

“Do you believe that stuff?” Will asks. Nico nods. Will’s eyes widen. “So, who’d you want to be your dad? I’d guess you’d be Hades’s son. If you’re not the god himself.”

Nico laughs, and Will smiles back. “Hades can be pretty cool. Though, I’m not sure I’d want to hang around dead people all the time.”

Will nods. “True.” He yawns again, his blinking shut. He shifts, his head just barely resting against Nico’s arm. Nico doesn’t move. He fixes his eyes on the TV.

“Will, what would you do if it were all real? The gods, I mean.”

It takes Will a moment to answer. “Scream and faint, probably,” he mumbles. Nico takes a deep breath. He’ll let Percy handle this.  
-  
Nico’s head is spinning. He’s pretty sure he might faint from happiness or confusion or from accidentally shadow-traveling from another world. Because in what world would Will Solace want to kiss Nico di Angelo? Nico takes a deep breath, steadying himself. Percy’s looking at him, both amused and concerned.

“Okay, start at the top again. And slower. I don’t want to miss all of the juicy details.”

So Nico starts talking about how he fell asleep on Will’s couch, how he was awoken by Will’s mom coming home. She’d looked ready to stab Nico before she saw Will cuddled up against him. Then her face had softened.

“Nico, I assume?” she’d asked. Nico had only nodded. Sure, he was trained in self-defense, but he’d never had to defend himself from an angry mother. He wasn’t quite experienced in that department. He skips over telling Percy the awkward conversation they’d had, about how Will was always wearing himself out, how he talked a lot about Nico, how he couldn’t cook to save his life.

“HIs father couldn’t cook either,” Naomi had said after that. Nico saw a small chance.

“His father,” he starts carefully, “does he know about Will’s healing abilities?”

Naomi had given Nico a weird look. He almost feared being stabbed. (He figures all of that nurse’s training would enable her to know exactly where to puncture Nico’s life.)

“I assume so,” she’d said. “Did he show them to you? He’s very protective of his ability to heal.” She paused here. “Do you believe in the Greek gods?”

Nico had smiled then. He’d been trying to use the same tactic earlier. “Is his father Apollo?” Naomi had nodded, and Nico had had to leave her with a brief explanation.

“And then I told her you would be filling Will in, not me,” Nicos says, looking at Percy now. He’s frowning at Nico.

“Why me?”

“Because you’re older and know more. Because your transition to camp is more closely related than mine.”

Percy sputters. “But you know him better!” He pauses. “Wait. You two haven’t kissed yet.”

Nico groans. He was getting to that part. “No, um, that happens next. Kind of.” Percy makes a motion to go on. “Right, so he woke up in the middle of this, and Naomi thought I should talk to him. Because we’d fallen asleep on the couch together and whatnot. I guess she thought maybe I’d just tell him instead of waiting for you.”

“Like you should have done,” Percy says.

“Anyways, Will was still pretty sleepy,” Nico says. He remembers sleepy Will’s face, how cute it was, how Nico couldn’t even deny that he was slightly attracted to Will. How when Will gave him a sleepy grin, asking what time it was, that Nico didn’t want to do anything but kiss him.

He’d kissed Will Solace with his mom standing in the kitchen behind them and Will still half-asleep. It had taken Will a few moments to kiss back, but then his hands were coming up to cup Nico’s face. And Nico could feel Will’s eyelashes brushing against his skin.

“You know why I’ve always hated you?” Will had asked. Nico had almost groaned. He didn’t want to get into this right now. “Because I thought you hated me,” he says.

“I don’t hate you right now,” Nico had whispered back. Then Will had given a little laugh, mostly delirious. Nico felt just as high on the taste of Will’s lips, of his fingers pressing into his skin.

“And then I remembered his mom,” Nico says, sighing. Percy laughs. “She let us say goodnight before telling Will that she’d take me home. And then I shadow-traveled out of there. I think I’m going to die.”

Percy shakes his head. “You just might for telling her that I’m going to be introducing her son to the world of demigods and Greek myth.” Nico shrugs. He’s too happy right now to care that Percy’s threatening him. “I’m caught between watching you suffer and watching you salivate over Will.”

Nico shuts his mouth, wiping at his chin. He’s not drooling.

“How about I come with you? I just don’t want him to think I pranking him or something, you know?” Percy sighs, pushing him towards the bed. Nico can only imagine how tomorrow’s going to go.  
-  
All in all, it went pretty smoothly. Will didn’t scream, but he did almost faint when Nico shadow-traveled out of the room. Nico felt bad for Will. He’d kept looking between his mom and Nico, like the two people he trusted most were betraying him.

In all honesty, Naomi had done most of the heavy lifting. She’d held Will’s hand and answered his questions about his father. She’d prepped him with the stories and myths earlier so that Nico and Percy just had to explain about the camp and safety measures.

“So, I have to leave you?” Will asks. He looks like he’s about to cry. “Forever? You can’t come and visit?”

Naomi shakes her head. “I’m afraid not, Will. It’d be too dangerous. It’s a miracle that you’ve made it this long.” Will moves to hug his mom, and Nico excuses himself to give them some privacy. Percy follows.

“He didn’t seem to hate you,” Percy says. “If anything, he seemed to be leaning on you for guidance.” Nico shrugs. In a way, he’s relieved that Will’s also a demigod. He doesn’t have to deal with the messiness that would have come with dating a mortal. He does have to deal with the messiness that comes with being a demigod, though. So he’s not sure he’s really on the winning side.

“And I know I make it seem like such a drag to watch out for you, but I really do enjoy it,” Percy adds. Nico smiles. “It’ll take some time, but I think he’ll be okay.

Nico nods. He glances inside to see Will wiping at his face, talking with his mom. In a few minutes, he’ll go back inside. But right now, he’s content to take it all in. After all, it’s not every day you get to tell your boyfriend that he’s a demigod.


	12. sleepy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> domestic solangelo featuring baby maria

It’s one of those days where Nico’s too warm and comfortable to even think of removing himself from his bed (even though he’s kind of got to pee). Will’s arms are wrapped around him, soft puffs of breath brushing against Nico’s collarbones. Nico shifts, and Will makes a displeased noise, his arms pulling Nico closer again. Nico smiles, leaning down to kiss Will’s hair.

“Morning, sunshine.” Will makes a grumbling noise that tickles Nico’s skin. “Someone should feed Maria, and I vote that it’s you.”

Slowly, Will lifts his head, squinting at Nico. His eyes are always so much bluer after a good night’s sleep, and his curls are pointing every which way. He turns away to yawn, rubbing his eyes. Then he sets his face to a pout.

“Why me? I had the later shift last night,” Will mumbles. He moves to bury his face in Nico’s shoulder. When Nico blocks him, he looks over at the baby monitor on his nightstand. “Besides, she’s still sleeping.”

Nico smiles. Maria was probably the best baby in the entire world. She hardly ever cried unless she needed something right then. She almost never fussed when they fed her or changed her diaper. She was content to play with whatever toy was handy, and she adapted super well to Nico and Will’s somewhat crazy schedule.

“I was up late working on that water project,” Nico says, yawning. He was a freelance graphic designer, so he often made his own hours and picked his own clients. However, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t subject to deadlines and such. He still had a business to run.

“You mean, you were in bed when I got home,” Will counters, but there’s no heat behind the words. If anything, he yawns every few syllables, laying back down. Nico huffs, rolling over to lay on Will’s stomach. “You’re lucky I don’t have a full bladder.”

Nico laughs. His is getting there. He leans down, kissing Will’s face. Even after being together for so long, mornings like this have never grown old. Will reaches up, cupping Nico’s face as he accepts the kisses. He slowly guides Nico’s lips, familiar with their usual pattern. Nico finishes with a peck to Will’s lips.

Will pouts. “Is that all?” Will whines. Nico smiles. He loves his husband, with his sleepy blue eyes and golden curls splayed out on the pillow. In the morning light, his freckles look like kisses from the sun. (Nico would tell anyone that he became a poet the minute he laid eyes on Will.)

Nico obliges, leaning down to kiss Will again. He gets in at least five more kisses before his bladder is screaming at him to get up and take care of businesses. Will chuckles as Nico rolls off of him, hurrying to the bathroom. He takes his time, washing his face and hands, brushing his teeth. When he comes back out, Will’s in his slippers and sweatshirt, cooing at Maria.

She’s grown a lot since they’ve gotten her, a cute, chubby, little baby. Her dark hair curls like Nico’s, and her blue eyes rival only Will’s. She grasps Will’s finger, pulling it into her mouth. Will smiles at her, kissing her cheek. He passes her to Nico, heading into the kitchen to grab some of her food. While he’s in there, he gets some coffee brewing.

Nico smiles at his daughter. Already, their house was flooded with pictures of her. It was both a blessing and a curse to have access to technology now. Nico was always wanting to pull his phone out to snap a picture of Maria doing something, whether that was grabbing her toes or sucking on her thumb. As if on cue, he hears the click of a shutter, smiling just in time for Will to snap a photo of the two of them.

“She’s so cute,” Will coos. Nico smiles, setting Maria into her high chair. She gurgles, knowing what’s coming next. While Will feeds her, Nico pours their coffee, getting some eggs started. He scrambles them, knowing it’s the fastest way to cook them. Maria’s patting her tray, laughing as Will makes airplane and train noises to keep her entertained.

“Here comes the train. Choo Choo!” Will calls. Maria squeals, opening her mouth as the spoon taps her lips. She pushes it around her mouth before swallowing, opening her mouth for another bite. By the time she’s finished eating (she refuses to open her mouth again), the eggs are ready. Will accepts his coffee and eggs, kissing Nico as he sits down.

“So, your mom called yesterday, says she’s coming to visit for Christmas,” Nico says. Will nods, taking a long sip of coffee.

“Did she say when she was thinking?” Will asks. “Because we’re all going to Sally’s for dinner on the 23rd.” Nico nods. Sally always had a family dinner for Percy and his friends as a way to make up for the family that couldn’t always spend the holidays together. Nico and Will always attended. “I mean, I’m sure she’d be welcome. I just think we should let Sally know.”

Nico nods. “We can call her later today. I think she was still trying to figure out when your cousins were trying to visit and all that.” Will nods. They fall into a comfortable silence, both of them just sipping their coffee while Maria gnaws on a plastic train.

“I think she just really wants to see Maria,” Will says after a moment. Nico laughs. They’ve had more company in the past few weeks than they’ve had in the last six months, and he knows it’s because of Maria. Everyone always came in, greeted Nico and Will, and then cooed over Maria for the next hour or so. Nico didn’t mind, though. He knew his daughter was adorable.

“Oh, and Hades and Persephone invited us to dinner as well. I told them they’d have to visit us, though, because I’m not sure how Maria would react to the Underworld.” Will always grew paler, a bit weaker, when he visited the Underworld. It was always like jet lag or a hangover when he returned, and Nico didn’t want to put his daughter through that. She was still young, adjusting to the world. He didn’t want to thrust her into the world of gods and monsters just yet. (Or at all.)

“We could go to that Italian place I know you’ve been looking at,” Will says. Nico blushes. He’s been searching through the menu, keeping an eye on the place. Just a month ago, he’d confirmed that it was authentic Italian, so he was excited to try it out. But with their busy schedules and taking care of Maria and the holidays, they hadn’t had a chance to go yet.

“That sounds nice. I’ll let him know. Hopefully, he’ll pay.” Will rolls his eyes. They were still a bit shy about accepting Hades’s generous offerings of wealth, but they’d been a bit more persuaded in light of Maria’s arrival. After all, taking care of a baby was not cheap. And Hades didn’t seem to mind that most of his money went towards paying the electric bill, diapers, and gas for the car.

Will gets up to wash the dishes, humming as he does so. Nico cleans Maria’s hands and face off, whisking her to the nursery to get her dressed. He chooses a pink onesie, changing her diaper, and smoothing out her hair. She didn’t have a lot of hair, but she had enough that it sometimes knotted and made her cry when she got her fingers tangled in it.

“Do you want to go to the park? I don’t think it’s too cold yet,” Will says. December has just begun, and many relatives had gifted them warm winter clothes for Maria. Nico supposes that it’s a very welcome gift as he was always cold, and Will didn’t take so well to the cold in general. So they always bundled Maria up, afraid that she’d catch a cold or the flu or something even worse.

They pull out the stroller, Maria giggling as she’s buckled up. Will grabs the diaper bag, a blue bag with smiling sunshines on it. Then they head out.

The park is just a few blocks away, so they walk, enjoying the crisp air. Nico places his hand over Will’s, pushing Maria down the sidewalk. She gurgles to no one in particular, laughing to herself. Nico skips a bit to kiss Will on the cheek. Will’s cheeks are already red.

“I’ll make some hot chocolate when we get back,” Nico promises. Will nods. When they get to the park, they set Maria in one of the swings. She’s old enough to sit up by herself, but she hasn’t quite gotten the hang of walking yet. She’s just learning how to crawl. Will pushes her gently while Nico makes faces at her. She squeals and giggles as Nico pulls faces, making different noises.

Once upon a time, he’d be rather embarrassed to be caught out here making fish noises. Not, he couldn’t care less. They switch places, Nico pushing now while Will makes faces. She reaches her arms out, laughing. Will smiles, reaching out to catch the swing, kissing her face. Will sits down beside her in a regular swing, kicking his feet a little. Maria seems to like this, trying to kick her own feet out.

After a while, Maria starts to get restless, so they take her over to the mini-playground. It was just a slide, really, but it didn’t really matter. There were also some large blocks and things that spun when poked. Will picks Maria up, placing her at the top of the slide. Nico waits at the bottom, kissing Maria when she lands gently in his arms. She seems to like the slide, so they do that a few times before Maria starts fussing again.

“Seems like she’s hungry,” Will says. He grabs the weird rice cereal stuff, poking one into Maria’s mouth. She sucks on it, smiling. They feed her a few more before she starts sucking on her thumb.

“She’s getting sleepy,” Nico says quietly. Will nods. He wraps his arms around Nico, kissing his cheek. They head back home, tucking Maria into her crib. Then they make themselves some sandwiches, crashing into their own bed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to be tired,” Will says laughing. They’re whispering, trying to keep quiet so that Maria doesn’t wake up. “I mean, I’m seriously exhausted, but you and Maria make it worth it.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “And just when I thought you couldn’t get any sappier.” Will shrugs, pulling off his socks and jeans.

“‘M cold, Nico. Warm me up.” He sticks his cold nose against Nico’s neck, and Nico yelps. He shoves Will away, pulling him back in for a kiss. They kiss for a few minutes, slow, and just having some time to themselves. Between work and Maria, their downtimes don’t always cross, so they both take full advantage when they do.

“I love you, Nico,” Will says. “I’m glad I have a family with you.” He yawns, though they’ve been up for maybe four hours tops. Nico understands, though. Will’s been working odd shifts so he can be there to take care of Maria while Nico’s working. 

“I love you, too, you dork.” Will huffs, sticking his cold nose against Nico’s skin once more. This time, Nico doesn’t push him away. Instead, he wraps his arms around Will, pulling him closer. He draws the blanket over them, kissing Will’s hair. Soft sighs are coming through the baby monitor, signaling a sleeping baby.

They’re all exhausted. But Nico can’t think of a better life than this.


	13. secret identities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's a superhero. He should really tell his completely normal boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: contains a kidnapping (pretty minor), some fighting/violence (no blood or injury)

Nico was just a bit (read: a lot) stressed. He was supposed to be having a nice anniversary dinner with his boyfriend of three years. They had just gotten a table and sat down when Nico’s watch beeped. And not the regular one that signaled the hour. The secret one he wore on the inside of his jacket pocket. So he’d excused himself to the bathroom, telling Will that he wanted a soda and the chicken dish. Will had nodded, smiling as Nico left.

In other words, Nico was definitely not using the bathroom. Instead, he was currently taking care of a burglary situation just a few blocks down from where Will should be currently ordering Nico’s chicken dish.

Nico watches from the shadows as the burglar sprints downtown, doing his best to blend into the evening crowd of city dwellers. The street lamps are on, and the night is lit up with advertisements, car lights, and shop windows. Nico ducks back into the shadows, spotting the burglar. He’s got an unusually bright head of red hair that he’s trying to hide underneath a dark green beanie. All in all, Nico’s just thankful that this guy is an amateur. Hopefully, it means he’ll be able to get back to his dinner on time.

“Coming up on your left,” comes his tech support’s voice. He doesn’t know the guy’s name (or anything about him, really), only that he’s super good with technology and that he’s always there when Nico’s on the job (his superhero job, that is). He likes to call the guy Robot, which always makes whoever’s on the other end laugh. “And now!”

Nico jumps out of the shadows, grabbing the guy’s hands and pinning him to the ground. He’s just looped some handcuffs around the guy’s wrists when the cops pull up, their sirens wailing. Nico sighs. He hands the guy over, ignoring the cops as they push the criminal into the car and calm any spectators.

“Thank you again, Ghost King,” a cop says. Nico sighs. He thinks he has the cheesiest superhero name ever, but that’s what commercialization of his job set does, he supposes. He checks his watch (his regular one). He’s only been gone about twenty minutes, but that’s still a bit too much time to explain away.

He shadow-travels (like teleportation using shadows) to the restaurant’s back entrance, letting himself in. He walks past the bathrooms, heading back to his table.

“Was I gone long?” Nico asks. Will just shakes his head.

“Not too long. I haven’t ordered your food yet. The wait staff’s too preoccupied with some cop chase.” Nico nods. Honestly, either Will’s super naive or super trusting. Nico hasn’t figured out which one yet, but he’s hoping for super trusting. After all, this isn’t the first thing he’s had to duck out on.

“I hope they catch whoever it is,” Nico says. Will nods, looking at his menu again. They’ve been to this place once before, some kind of seafood bar that also made hamburgers and chicken dishes. Nico remembers Will’s jaw dropping open as they both took in the chandeliers and the license plate-covered walls. Overall, it was a pretty weird place, but it suited their more expensive tastes just fine.

A waiter finally comes over to their table. “They’ve caught the guy,” she says. “Apparently Ghost King was seen in action again. Man, I really wish I was there.” She pauses like she’s remembering her job. “And what can I get you two tonight?”

Nico’s pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to have a normal life if everyone knew he was Ghost King. He’s already kind of in a tight spot hiding it from Will. Nico thinks of Robot. He wonders if he just hacks into people’s computers, the police scanner, trying to find someone to help. How does one even get into that type of job? Nico has no idea. He just knows that he sometimes gets cool gadgets in the mail that he has to hide from Will. But Will never questions, so Nico can sometimes trick himself into thinking that he’s not lying to Will.

“Hey, are you feeling okay?” Will asks. Nico nods, blinking at Will. He hadn’t meant to zone out, but he was doing it more and more. What if Will wanted to get married? Or have children? Or move? What then? Nico couldn’t exactly just pick up his life and spin on a dime. And he didn’t want to get married with this giant secret still unacknowledged.

“I’m fine,” Nico says, smiling. “Just thinking about how handsome you are.”

Will blushes. “You’re not to bad yourself.” Will reaches across the table, taking Nico’s hands. They were a little rough from his superhero work, a little beaten and battered, but Will loved them all the same. Will’s hands were soft, long fingers that knew how to type just as well as play the piano.

“Oh, I got you a gift,” Will says hesitantly. Nico eyes him. They had agreed to no presents for this anniversary after the stress of last year’s anniversary.

“We had a deal,” Nico says.

Will shrugs. “Well, I couldn’t resist.” He hands Nico a small box, a silver bow fastened to the top. Nico takes it, glancing at Will, smiling. He opens the box slowly, his breath catching a little when he sees an intricately carved pendant. It was in the shape of the sun, the rays carefully curved pieces of metal. “Do you like it?”

Nico nods. “I love it,” he says. It was small enough that he could tuck it under his shirt whenever he needed to, which he thought was nice. Will knows that Nico doesn’t like a lot of flashy jewelry (it got in the way of his superhero job), but this pendant was small enough to conceal easily. “It’s beautiful.”

Will beams. “I made it myself,” he says, and Nico’s surprised. He has no idea when Will would have had time to make something like this. Sure, he doesn’t know where Will is every hour of the day, but he knows that Will puts in a lot of hours at work (a software company where he was in charge of the website and marketing) and the rest with Nico when he can. And Will hasn’t seemed busy or secretive lately.

Nico wonders if the stress of being a superhero is getting to him. He feels like he should have some way of knowing everything, but he doesn’t. After all, he’s only twenty-three. Hardly anyone at twenty-three knew much of anything, he supposes.

Their food arrives, and Nico kisses Will’s knuckles before releasing his hand. He can feel the pendant, slightly cold metal against his skin. He smiles. Will is always too amazing for his own good. (Nico secretly wonders if Will is also a superhero. He’s too selfless to not be some sort of superhero, even without the powers.)

“Can I try a bite of your salmon?” Nico asks. He reaches over their glasses to grab a bite of Will’s food. He had gotten the salmon last time they were here, and he wanted to try something new this time. But he still loved their salmon, and he was glad Will had ordered it.

“So dessert here or somewhere else?” Will asks. Nico grins. He has a giant sweet tooth, and Will is always treating him when he can.

“What’s on the dessert menu tonight?” Nico asks. Will picks up the small menu, eyes scanning it.

“Tiramisu, ice cream sundae, some peanut butter thing.” He sets the menu up so Nico can look at it. Nico scans the items.

“I’m thinking ice cream,” he says. Will nods, knowing exactly what Nico means.  
After finishing their food and paying, they walk hand in hand down the street to their favorite ice cream place. Rachel’s behind the counter tonight, and she smiles at them. She waits patiently while they peruse the ice cream selections, knowing that it always takes them a bit of time to decide.

“I think I’ll have an ice cream sundae today,” Will says. “Sprinkles and hold the cherry.” Rachel nods.

“One scoop of strawberry, one scoop of the lemon sorbet,” Nico says. “In a cone.” Rachel shakes her head, rolling her eyes.

“You and your weird flavors.” Nico shrugs. He happens to think strawberry lemonade was amazing. He lets Will have a few licks in exchange for a few bites of his sundae. They sit outside the shop, watching the nightlife start to come out.

“Three years,” Will breathes. “Seems like just yesterday I was serving a grumpy ball of sunshine some coffee.” Nico laughs. They’d met in a coffee shop of all places. And, yes, Nico had been having a bad morning when he’d come in. He’d been out late trying to save the city again, and it’d taken him hours to track down the bad guy. (This had been before Robot had come onto the scene.) So he’d been less than civil when he ordered his coffee, and Will had been bright as ever.

“You’re the sunshine,” Nico huffs. “I’m just a ball of darkness.” He could say it now, he thinks. He could lean over, whisper his secret into Will’s ear, get it done with. Over. But he doesn’t. Instead, he smiles when Will laughs, kissing his cheek.

“You can be the moon, then. But that doesn’t make you less amazing.” They finish up their ice cream, Will driving them back to their shared apartment. After living together for a year, it still felt like a dream, that Nico could wake up to Will’s sleepy smile every morning.

Nico keeps the pendant on even as he’s getting ready for bed. It’s just a piece of metal, but, for some reason, it makes him feel safe. Like being in Will’s arms or knowing that Will’s going to be there when Nico gets home, that kind of safe. So he keeps it on, feeling it rest against his heart as he falls asleep.  
-  
Will wakes up to a beeping noise, and, for a moment, he thinks that it’s the police scanner. Instead, it’s Nico’s alarm, singling that it’s time to get ready for work. Nico groans, trying to bury himself back underneath the covers, but Will pulls his pillow away.

“Up, up!” he calls. Nico throws a half-hearted glare his way before making his way to the bathroom. Will smiles. He’s working from home today, so he can sleep in all he wants as long as he updates the website by five tonight and has the poster designs ready to print for when he goes in tomorrow.

He rolls over, grabbing his phone, and surfs the Internet for a bit. He skips all of the news stories about celebrities and their gossip, but one catches his eye. It’s another article dedicated to Ghost King’s secret identity. Will smiles. He can’t lie and say he’s never tried to figure it out. He’s stopped just short of activating the tracking device he’s put in Ghost King’s watch when he knows he’s off duty.

Will understands the purpose of secret identities. He’s got one himself, though he doesn’t have a fancy title like Ghost King does. In fact, most people don’t even know he exists or don’t care that he exists (because Ghost King has mentioned him a few times in very short press interviews).

Will smiles. He remembers when he’d been watching the videos of Ghost King saving the day, how he’d thought that being a superhero took a lot of time. And then he’d wondered if Ghost King had a sidekick (because all great superheroes had sidekicks, right?). When he found that Ghost King worked alone, Will had set to hacking police scanners in an attempt to locate where Ghost King might be.

In the end, he’d left a note, an application of sorts, expressing his interest in being Ghost King’s tech support. He’d written that he could hook him up with cool gadgets and equipment and be of service during missions. And now a year and a half later, Will was Ghost King’s Robot. He smiles at the thought.

It helped that his dad ran a giant tech business so Will was always able to find parts and learn what he needed to. He also had pretty flexible hours, allowing him to be accessible whenever Ghost King needed him to be. All in all, it worked out pretty well.

“Do you want breakfast?” Nico calls, jerking Will from his memories.

“Please,” Will calls back. As good as he was with technology, he didn’t understand food. He knew the theory and the science of it, but he could never make it taste as good as Nico’s. He grabs a warmer shirt and pants before heading into the kitchen. Nico was pouring them some tea.

“You’re working from home today, right?” Nico asks. Will nods. He smiles when he sees the sun pendant hanging around Nico’s neck. He’d never tell Nico, but it was more than just a thoughtful gift. It was also a tracking device, something Will had made due to the increasing crime in the area. Nico was sometimes out late, and it worried Will a little more than it should when he got back later than he was supposed to.

“What time are you going to be home tonight?”

“I think four,” Nico says. “Unless they make me work overtime again.” He shakes his head. Nico had been pulling a lot of extra hours lately, and Will wasn’t sure why. Nico told him it was because the business was changing its strategies and service techniques and had to train all of the employees. And so Nico got called in at weird times, often gone for hours at a time. It was a little frustrating.

Nico kisses him on the cheek, setting his breakfast down on the table. Will smiles at the eggs and bacon arranged like a smile. Nico was so cute. They eat in silence, just enjoying the morning together. Then Nico’s kissing Will goodbye, grabbing his keys, and leaving.

Once Nico’s gone, Will sits himself down at his computer, determined to get those posters designed. He’d been putting it off to make Nico’s necklace. But now that that was done, he had to get these posters finished. He’s about halfway done with them when he gets a notification: breaking and entering.

Will locks his office door, slipping on his headset. He pushes a button so that his rickety old desk melts away to make way for a more advanced computer system. He waits for the static to clear, signaling that Ghost King is there.

“23 South Gardner Street,” Will says.

“On my way. Any details, Robot?” Ghost King asks.

“Nothing so far. Cops aren’t on the scene yet. No injuries to report. The neighbors called in.” He clicks over to his surveillance, something he installed just five months ago. It was still glitchy and slow, but it was an improvement from waiting for the cops to arrive.“I’m here,” Ghost King whispers. “Any suggestions?”

The cameras weren’t picking up on any movement yet. Then Ghost King appears out of nowhere along the sidewall fo the house. “It doesn’t seem like anyone’s home, no cars or anything. Layout is pretty basic, open concept downstairs.”

He sees Ghost King nod, doing his weird shadow-traveling thing to get inside. Honestly, the entire city was quite lucky that Ghost King had decided to use his powers for good. Once inside, Will gets a better view of the house. He signals that there’s movement upstairs, in a closet, maybe. He can only assume that there’s a safe there or something.

He watches as a less than epic battle goes down. The bad guy barely fights back before Ghost King’s got him locked up. “Cops are arriving now,” Will says. He hears Ghost King sigh. “Do you know what he was after?”

“Anything, it seems. Jewelry, electronics, money.” He switches off his surveillance as soon as he sees the cops push the bad guy into the back seat. He knows Ghost King usually shadow-travels back to wherever he’d originally come from, so he likes to give him privacy. He’s not even sure Ghost King knows he has a video of him. Technology is a bit complicated to explain sometimes to someone you hardly know.

“Thanks, Robot. See you later!” Will smiles as the static fills his ears. He runs the images of Ghost King through his mind. He never wears anything special, just plain T-shirts and jeans. His face is always clouded in shadows, though, masking any facial features. Nico would put him at twenty-something years old, a shorter male, dark features. He wasn’t sure how much of it was supposed to detract from Ghost King’s identity and how much was just because these things were short notice.

But Will never pried. He understood secret identities.  
-  
Nico’s going to tell him. He’s going to tell Will that he’s a superhero. He’s going to walk into their shared apartment and just blurt it out (quietly with the door shut). And then he’s going to do his best to not let Will walk out on him. Because he really loves Will, and that’s why he hasn’t said anything. Because he wants to protect Will. But in his line of work, there’s a fine line between safety and knowledge.

Nico takes a few deep breaths before twisting the doorknob. Then he freezes. Because shouldn’t the door be locked? Will always locked the door behind him, even if he was in the apartment. One good thing about Will (among the many things) was how paranoid of a break-in Will was.

Nico twists the doorknob again. He checks his keys, still in his pocket. Maybe Will had stuff in his hands or maybe he had to use the bathroom really badly. Nico shakes off the nerves, walking in.

He’s definitely not expecting to see his apartment kind of trashed. Only kind of. The furniture is untouched, but a lamp is knocked over, the chairs are pulled out, the pillows are on the floor. Nico rushes into their bedroom. The sheets have been ripped off the bed, drawers open. In Will’s study, it looks like more of a mess. Will’s keyboard is smashed, and Nico knows that Will’s going to be upset about that.

He tries calling Will’s number, cursing when no one picks up. He doesn’t even know how to use the GPS tracking system that Will had told him about. He thinks about trying to contact Robot, but their relationship has been strictly one-way. While Robot seems to be able to tap into his watch, he doesn’t know how to contact Robot first. He presses the button on his watch, but all he hears is static. Robot isn’t there.

Nico suits up, just putting on some comfortable clothes. He’s thought about doing the cliché spandex and tights thing, but that’s so uncomfortable and hard to hide. He can’t exactly tell Will that he needs a full-body spandex suit and tights for his side job. Most businessmen would be completely embarrassed, and Nico’s one of them.

Nico searches around Will’s computer for a note or something. There isn’t one, and that makes him all the more frustrated. Aren’t kidnappers supposed to leave ransom notes or something? To help the superhero come and save their loved one? Nico pauses. Did someone know of his secret identity? They would have to kidnap Will, right?

He doesn’t like the feeling settling in his stomach. Up until now, all of the crimes he’s fought have been strictly impersonal. He doesn’t have any family really, no close friends, no co-worker buddies (typical superhero seclusion, he supposes). He only has Will.

And now Will’s gone. All because of Nico. Nico hopes Will’s okay. Will isn’t exactly one for big risk-taking adventures. He won’t even ride roller coasters, always going on about how fast they are and how high, how even though they’re sturdily built, they could collapse or break at any minute. No, Will prefers things he can be sure of. Things like coding and steady relationships and all secrets out in the open.

There’s a beep from Nico’s watch, and Nico clings to it. He expects to see a location or something that Robot’s sent him. Instead, the watch face is empty. It was his regular watch signaling the hour. Nico wants to cry.

He checks Will’s desk once more, one hand absently holding his sun pendant. He cleans up some of the papers on the floor, trying to figure out what to do. He can’t just blindly search the city, and he can’t call the police. If he calls the police, the kidnappers might get away amongst the widespread search. He’s got to do this alone. (And, hopefully, Robot will show up.)

His watch beeps, and this time, he knows it’s not the hour. He feels somewhat relieved when he sees the red dot appear on the grid of the city. He’s wary to trust it, but Robot’s never led him astray. He presses the button to talk to Robot, but it’s still static.

Nico needs to move quickly. He locks the front door before shadow-traveling to Gingham Avenue, checking his watch. He thinks the kidnappers must be in a car with the speed the red dot is moving. If only Robot were here to provide him information on what kind of car he was looking for. After all, he was now caught in late afternoon traffic.

Nico shadow-travels to the next location, scanning the roads. He sees businessmen, little kids with their parents, elderly people, a group of teenagers walking out of a coffee shop. He falls into a routine. He’ll shadow-travel, try to contact Robot, shadow-travel again.

“Hey, Robot, I could really use your help right now,” he says. No response. Just that red dot. He wonders where Robot is. It’s unlike him to just bail on him like this. He wonders if the kidnappers also have Robot. He hasn’t even thought of that before, he was so worried about Will. The idea makes him more uncomfortable, and he tries to scan the cars better. But how does one look for suspicious persons in moving traffic?  
-  
Will’s butt is starting to go numb. He’s lost track of time what with the blindfold over his face. He hears shuffling around him every so often, thinking that there’s a guard watching him. He’s not sure. For all he knows, it could be another captive. Will shivers at the idea.

He has no idea what he’s been kidnapped for. He wonders if they might need help building a website or cracking some code. He hopes they’re not from the rival software company, here to squash the competition. Will’s wrists are also getting tired from where they’ve been tied behind his back. He thinks it’s probably his fault. He’d been squirming in an attempt to contact Ghost King and get his butt rescued. He hopes it’s worked. (He really should have memorized the buttons better. Of course, he never imagined doing this blindfolded.)

Of all the cool gadgets he’s created in the past year and a half, he can’t think of any that would be particularly useful in finding kidnapped victims. He thinks that maybe he should get on that, but his now numbed butt is making things kind of uncomfortable now.

“Should be here any minute,” comes a gruff voice. “And then we’ll figure out who this Ghost King is.”

There’s a laugh. “I bet he’s some scrawny kid just playing superhero,” comes another voice.

“Couldn’t be. He literally melts into the shadows.” There’s a pause. “If I could do that, I’d be robbing banks and traveling the world like crazy.”

“On the run like crazy, too,” adds the first voice. Will inserts a shrug here. His arms are starting to ache, and he’s really got to use the bathroom right now. He tries his best not to squirm. When he went into the tech-support business, he hadn’t thought of the minor things like using the bathroom and getting cramps. He’d only thought of the big stuff like being kidnapped and/or killed.

Not to say that that wouldn’t happen next.

“Quit moving!” Will feels a shove in his side that jostles his bladder uncomfortably. The moment he’s let free, he’s going to find a bathroom or a bush or something. He bites down a whine as he’s shoved again.

“Tell me again why we’ve got some blond computer nerd?” comes the second voice. “No offense to him, but he’s not quite the pretty girl bait.”

There’s a loud sigh. “Look, I think I’ve seen him and Ghost King together, okay? It’s a shot in the dark. It doesn’t matter, though. Because Ghost King’s going to come after any captive.”

“Right. But they won’t magically fall in love.” Another loud sigh. Will thinks he might like the second guy. He’d make a pretty good movie henchman. He’d enjoy this more if he was allowed to use the bathroom. He’s about to speak up when he feels someone patting him down.

“Don’t tell me you forgot to check our captive,” the gruff voice says. “He could have a knife or something in his sleeves.” Will tries to kick the man away, but he just pulls Will’s arms back, his wrists chafing uncomfortably against the rope. He’s going to need some ointment when he gets out of here. He feels his watch slide off, a pit sinking in his stomach.

“Wonder what these buttons do.”

“Do not touch this stuff. You watch the doors.” He hears a sigh before the tell-tale beep of his watch. He hears the static, glad for once that Ghost King isn’t trying to contact him. He feels a little bad that this would be the one great time to actually be of help to Ghost King. He hears a few other beeps, but the watch won’t do anything without knowing what it’s supposed to do. Also, it works better with a computer. (He should work on that if this kidnapping thing is going to become more regular.)

“I have to pee,” Will blurts out. Because he’s really got to go.

“You try to pull one major operation, and you get an idiot for a partner and a captive who can’t hold it.” There’s that sigh again, and then Will is being jerked from his chair.  
-  
Nico locates Will in an empty warehouse. He can’t help but think how cliché this whole thing is. He checks to make sure he’s got his stuff before he shadow-travels just inside the door. His heart sinks as he takes in the empty folding chair at the center of the room. There isn’t anyone here, and yet, he’s right next to the red dot.

Then he hears the tell-tale sound of a toilet flushing. He almost smiles. Bad guys are still people, he supposes. He sets off towards the sound, making sure to be quiet. Robot had gifted him shoes that had good traction and somehow absorbed noise on any surface. (He’s always loved how practical Robot was.) So he was quite stealthy.

“Ghost King,” comes a voice, “will be here any minute. So shut your trap and tie this guy back to his chair!” Nico readies himself to pounce when whoever comes around the corner. He doesn’t expect his fist to come into contact with Will’s stomach. Will groans, bending over. His knees give out, and he pretty much collapses on the floor.

The little moment of shock gives the kidnapper time to grab Nico’s wrist. He grins, showing two rows of perfectly white teeth. Nico swings his other wrist up and into the guy’s jaw, carefully stepping over Will’s body. The fight continues, more or less like the movies. The guy misses most of his shots as Nico dissolves into the shadows, Will in his arms. He deposits Will against the wall.

“Sorry I punched you,” he says. He gives Will a quick kiss on the cheek before racing towards the bad guy, ready to beat him up for touching his boyfriend. It’s not until the guy is tied to the chair that Nico realizes what he’s done. He glances over at Will who’s mouth is hanging open slightly. He’s got a bruise forming on his jaw that’s hiding a cluster of freckles.

Did Nico just kiss him? As Ghost King?

He’s about to run back to Will when another guy steps out from behind the wall. He’s larger, angrier looking. He catches Nico’s first punch, knocking the air from Nico’s lungs.

“Stun!” Will shouts. “Push twice!”

Nico has no idea what Will’s talking about, but he reaches up to push his watch button twice. Nothing happens. He tries the next one, dodging another punch. This time, little electrical things come out, attaching to the big guy. He falls like dead weight. Nico taps the next button, alerting the police to his location. His watch beeps, reporting that the kidnapping is now on the police scanner.

He’s back to checking over Will in seconds, untying his hands, massaging the skin to regulate circulation. Will smiles at him.

“Ghost King in the flesh,” he says. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Nico smiles. “Sorry I punched you,” he says again. Will shrugs. Nico’s tempted to brush Will’s hair back, but he’s still Ghost King. He wishes now more than anything that Will knew the truth. Especially after putting him in danger. “Sorry they kidnapped you to get to me.”

Will shrugs again. “No big deal. I just hope my boyfriend isn’t worried about me,” he says. “They kind of trashed my apartment.”

Nico’s about to respond when he hears the police sirens. Suddenly, they can’t talk as the police are asking questions, writing up reports, checking over Will. They load up the bad guys, tipping their hats towards Nico.

“Do you need a ride home?” one asks Will. Will shakes his head.

“Ghost King’s got me.” Nico keeps his mouth from dropping open. The police nod, their sirens fading into the distance. Nico turns to Will.

“I hope this isn’t a ploy to reveal my identity,” he says. “But I will take you home.”

Will grins, tugging Nico closer. Then Will’s lips are on Nico’s. Nico wants to protest, pull back, say that the kiss was an accident. Except, Will’s such a good kisser. And he might be a bit in shock from being kidnapped. So this is the least Nico can do, right? Besides, he’s not exactly cheating. He’s kissing his boyfriend, even if he doesn’t know it.

Will’s fingers are fumbling at Nico’s collar. Then he feels Will tug on the chain around his neck, the sun pendant. He opens his mouth to give an explanation, but Will beats him to it. He presses his lips against Nico’s again, smiling into the kiss.

“I guess I should tell you now that this is a tracking device,” he says simply. Nico frowns. Why would Will have given him a tracking device? Unless he knew that Nico was Ghost King? “I didn’t know until about ten minutes ago,” Will says. “I was more concerned with you being kidnapped, honestly.”

Nico’s still frowning. “What do you mean? Me as in Nico?” Will nods.

“Yeah.” He pauses. “You haven’t figured it out yet, have you?”

Nico takes a moment to think. His mind is still reeling from the fact that Will gave him a tracking device for their anniversary, that someone had actually kidnapped Will, that Will knew he was Ghost King. That Will seemed to be taking it really well.

“You’re Robot, aren’t you?” Nico asks. Will’s grin is the answer. “And here I thought you’d ditched me.”

Will laughs. “Never.” Nico slumps against the wall, next to Will. He pulls Will closer, Will’s head resting on his shoulder.

“I don’t know what’s harder to believe. That we’re partners or that we’re dating.” Will laughs again, kissing Nico’s cheek.

“Drop the mask. I want to see you.” Nico does, willing the shadows away, and Will’s smile grows wider.

“There’s my beautiful boyfriend. I guess you already know the apartment’s trashed.” It’s Nico’s turn to laugh. “And I guess now that we know who each other are, we can probably collaborate better. Get you better gear. I was afraid to send you the really cool stuff for fear that the postman might try to steal it.” Nico rolls his eyes.

“I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on me. Cool gear is part of being a superhero, you know.” He pauses. “They smashed your keyboard, by the way.”

Will curses. “Well, I guess I’ll show you my backup keyboard and my actual computer. Because my laptop is a piece of junk compared to it.”

Nico can’t believe it, that he’s dating his tech-support like some superhero cliché. But he is, and he can’t possibly be happier. And he’s definitely going to talk to Will about updating their security systems. But for now.

“How about some ice cream? I’m starving.”


	14. happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> part 2 of prince Nico and servant boy Will :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 1: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14658081/chapters/34130507
> 
> can be probably read alone, but it might make more sense with the first part

It takes a while before Will is well enough to walk to the dining room on his own.

Will progresses slowly, not being able to eat too much for fear of throwing it all back up. He has a strict schedule of when he’s allowed to eat, what he’s allowed to eat, and Nico follows it to the tee. The last thing he wants to do is jeopardize Will’s health again. He’s still beating himself up for not noticing that Will was so sick before he practically collapsed.

“Nico?” Will asks when Nico enters his room. He’s got Will’s breakfast tray in his hands, and he smiles when Will pushes himself up into a sitting position. He’s regained some of his strength, though he still tires relatively easily. Nico sets the tray down over Will’s lap, pulling up a chair to sit next to him.

“I’m here, sunshine.” Will blushes. Nico’s sure Will’s not used to affection, but he can’t help himself. Not when Will’s still so adorable from just waking up, when he’s wearing Nico’s pajamas, when he’s got that blush on his cheeks. “Hungry?”

Will nods. He waits until Nico starts eating some toast before he starts on his eggs. Slowly, he’s getting used to the idea of being served as well as serving. The first few days, Will had looked so guilty to see Nico or another servant bring in his breakfast trays. Will had gobbled up the food in a hurry (only to throw it up later) just so that he didn’t feel like they were wasting their time on him.

“You’re worth it,” Nico says. Will nods again, a little shadow of doubt still in his eyes. Nico smiles, kissing his cheek. He can’t get over how humble and selfless Will is. He knows part of it is his status in society, but he also knows the other part of it is people not caring enough to show Will love.  
And he loves Will so much. So he’s doing everything he can to make sure Will knows that he’s capable of being loved and of loving.

“I get a muffin today,” Will says, smiling. He unwraps his muffin, taking a happy bite. Nico thinks he might be a little crazy, but he loves watching Will eat. He loves seeing how happy Will is over a simple blueberry muffin, how a single pastry can make his day.

“Do you want to go for a walk today?” Nico asks. After about a week or so of bed rest, the doctor recommended that Will start getting out some. He suggested either going for walks or just sitting out in the sun. Sometimes Will was well enough to do all of his stretches and exercises he had to do to rebuild his strength.

“A walk sounds nice.” Nico nods. They head out after breakfast, both of them bundled up. The weather had turned cold suddenly, and the skies were always grey now. Will didn’t seem to mind, though. He looks at all of the flowers, the insects, the grass. He rambles about the different medicinal properties, which insects could sting, why the grass was turning brown.

Nico listens, amazed at how much Will knew. Did he have an education before he came to work in the palace? If so, why did he take a servant job instead of being a scholar or having a profession? Nico rubs his thumb over the back of Will’s hand as Will bends down to pluck a few weeds.

“You don’t have to do that,” Nico says softly. He knows it’s a habit of Will’s, to see something and need to fix it. After all, Mrs. Oakes is still hanging over his head, constantly trying to check up on him and give him chore lists. Nico’s banned her from his rooms, allowing her to only speak to Will if he’s out. And she can’t give him chore lists. Will’s on sick leave until the doctor says he’s well enough.

“I just don’t know if it’ll be done without me to do it,” Wills says. Nico shakes his head.

“There are other people who can do it.” It still angers him how Will was taken advantage of. If Mrs. Oakes wanted banisters cleaned and floors mopped, why hadn’t she given the chores to several servants? The work was too much for three men let alone one. Nico’s glad his father has the last say or else Mrs. Oakes would have been fired weeks ago.

“What am I?” Will asks after a minute. It’s the same question Nico’s been asking himself, too. Will’s not technically a servant while he’s on sick leave, but he isn’t exactly a guest either. And he’s not a noble. He’s almost classless at this point, in limbo.

“What do you want to be?” Nico asks.

Will shrugs. “Me, I guess,” he says. Nico smiles. “Happy. I want to be happy.”

“Are you?” Nico asks, almost afraid of the answer. What if Will says no? What if Nico doesn’t make him happy? He would let Will go, but it might crush him.

“I think I’m getting there,” Will says. “I just don’t know what I want to do. I don’t want to go back to scrubbing floors. Even with help.” Nico nods.

“You could apprentice, maybe,” he says. “You seem to know an awful lot, so I’m sure you could pick up something really quickly.”

Will hums, thinking about it. Nico reaches up to kiss his cheek. “I’ll think about it,” Will says around a yawn. Nico checks his watch. They’ve been walking for a little over an hour having lost track of time. They head back inside, shucking off their cold weather garments.

A maid knocks on Nic’s door, announcing it time for Nico to do his studies. Nico kisses Will’s cheek again, smiling. Then he leaves.  
-  
Will had fallen into a routine. He woke up around seven-thirty or eight (way later than he’s ever woken up). He has breakfast with Nico. Sometimes Nico’s sisters join him; most times they don’t. Then he and Nico spend time together before Nico goes to his studies. It’s a little lonely without Nico there to hang out with, but Will understands that Nico has responsibilities. He can’t just kiss and cuddle Will all day.

With Nico gone, Will stretches out his muscles. He goes slowly, doing exactly what the doctor had shown him. Though reluctant to help him at first, the doctor is now doing all he could to make sure Will is getting better. And Will feels better now. He’s no longer constantly tired (only after doing his exercises or walking around a lot). He doesn’t have that empty ache in his stomach anymore, either. He still isn’t able to eat a full meal, but he’s eating.

After his exercises, Will scans Nico’s bookshelf. It spans the entire length of one wall, touchline from floor to ceiling. Will’s slowly making his way across the bookshelf. He enjoys the books on medicine and plants the most. He remembers when he was younger and his siblings were sick, how he had done his best to nurse them back to health. If he’d known then what he knew now, he could have saved them.

He picks a thickly bound volume off the shelf, settling on Nico’s couch. Will smiles when he sees that it’s a volume of fairy tales. He scans the table of contents, recognizing most of them. He debates whether or not he wants to read the familiar ones first or the new ones or just start at the beginning. He decides to start from the beginning.

Will gets through about six or seven fairytales before there is a knock on the door. He holds his breath, waiting for whoever it is to announce themselves. He hopes it’s not Mrs. Oakes. He’s been avoiding her ever since he became sick, afraid that she’d bully him back into work. He feels like he could start working again, but he knows he shouldn’t. Not when just walking through the courtyards tires him out.

“Will? It’s Hazel.” Will smiles, marking his place in the book. He leaves it on the side table before letting Hazel in. “Good morning,” she says.

“Good morning,” Will says, dipping his head. Hazel smiles.

“I was wondering if you wanted to join us for tea this afternoon,” she says. Will nods.

“I’d love to.” Hazel nods.

“I’ll come to find you, then.” She pauses. “Is Nico in his studies?” Will nods. “You’re welcome to come and hang out with Bianca and I if you ever find yourself lonely. We won’t mind. Everyone’s always so busy around here, it’s hard to find someone to talk to sometimes.”

Will understands that. He hardly knows any of the other servants, though part of that could have been that he wasn’t allowed to associate with them. Still, he feels a bit embarrassed every time a servant brings him his breakfast or supplements. He’s glad Nico does it now. And in a few short weeks, he’ll be able to go and get his own breakfast.

“We’re going into town later this week if you wanted to join us. Do you have any family there?” Hazel asks.

Will nods. “A mother and an older brother.” Hazel smiles. “I haven’t seen them in a while. It’d be nice to visit them. If you don’t mind.”

Hazel shakes her head. “Not at all. I extended the invitation.” Will smiles. “What are you reading?”

Will tells her about the fairytales, smiling as he describes the illustrations between stories. He’s always loved the art in books, how intricate or starkly simple it could be. He thinks it’d be harder to illustrate books than simply making art.

“My favorite one is about the princesses dancing all night,” Hazel says. “I’ve always loved that idea. That you could just escape for a little while. Sometimes life is a bit stuffy.”

Will more than understands. He invites Hazel to sit down while he grabs the book. They end up taking turns reading the stories to each other until Will’s voice grows hoarse and Hazel has to leave for her lessons.

“I’ll come and find you for tea, okay?” Hazel asks as she leaves. Will nods. He bows again, waving as Hazel sweeps out of the room.

Will smiles. He waits for Nico to come back to signal the time for lunch. They walk to the dining hall together, resting after all of the staircases. Will catches his breath. He still feels a little weird dining with the royal family, but they’ve been quite welcoming and friendly, doing their best to put Will at ease.

“I hear the chef has made your favorite, Nico,” Bianca says as they sit down. Nico grins, practically drooling now. Will can smell their lunch, just about to be brought out. Their food is set before them.

“It’s good to see color in your cheeks,” one servant says, smiling at Will. Will nods.

“Thank you,” he says, not sure what else he should say. Every now and then the servants check up on him, giving him news about how the work is now spread out more evenly, not just one person assigned to a job. Will can see the changes, too. They no longer walk past each other, avoiding conversation. Now, they smile at each other and offer their help if they aren’t doing anytime or on break. And they get breaks, too.

“Thank you,” the servant says. “Before you and Prince Nico stepped in, everyone was too afraid to speak up to Mrs. Oakes.”

Will’s not sure what to do with all of this praise. Surely it was Nico’s doing and not his. All he did was pass out (several times). Nico leans over, squeezing his hand. His mouth is full of lasagne, so he has to swallow before speaking.

“You helped, too, Will,” he says. “Without you, I wouldn’t have known what to change. I wasn’t even aware that things needed changing, and that’s not a great place to be.”

Will nods. The servant smiles at the two of them, bowing at Nico. Then she disappears into the kitchen.

“Better get some food onto your plate,” Bianca says, “or else Nico will eat it all.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “Not all of it. Chef Rachel knows it’s my favorite, so she makes extra for midnight snacks. No way I could eat all of this right now.”

Hazel and Bianca laugh. Their parents are away on a diplomatic trip at the moment, so leadership falls on the three of them. Will can’t imagine the responsibility. Even with how poor his family was, his mom had always been there to provide them with a childhood. She would be appalled to know the treatment he had been getting before Nico stepped in.

“Will’s going into town with us,” Hazel says.

“Then you definitely have to come to the bakery with us,” Bianca says. “Are you visiting family?”

Will nods. “Mama and my brother.” His other siblings have either died or left the country.

“They’re welcome to visit the bakery with us. It’s the best in town, and I’m always begging to go.”

“Like every other day,” Nico says. “They have the best croissants ever.”

Will smiles. “May I write them a letter?” He hasn’t been in contact with his family since he arrived. It’s been over two months now, and they must be getting worried about him. He’d promised that he’d send money home, but he doesn’t have any to speak of. He hopes they’re okay.

“Of course,” Hazel says. “We can get you stationary. Or would you prefer regular paper?” Will shrugs.“Regular, I guess,” he says. Hazel nods. “I can give it to you at tea.”

They finish up their lunch, the conversation dying down a bit. Will yawns. He’s had a busy morning, talking and reading and walking. He thinks it sounds a bit lame that he’s so tired after just a little bit of exercise and conversation. But then he remembers how sick he’d felt just a week before, how he hadn’t even been able to feed himself. And he feels proud that he’s now able to spend a morning on his own.

“Nap time?” Nico asks. Will nods. He yawns again, letting Nico lead him to his room. He’s heard Hades and Nico talking about him getting his own rooms, and he’s not sure what to think of that. He changes into more comfortable clothes, climbing into Nico’s bed.

“Cuddle with me?” Will asks.  
Nico smiles, nodding. “Of course.” He yawns, too, snuggling in beside Will. Will feels Nico kiss his shoulder, draping his arm over Will’s side. Then Will’s asleep.  
-  
If he’s being honest, Nico’s a bit more than nervous to be meeting Will’s family. In the few days leading up to the trip, he could tell that Will was excited. He radiates with a new energy that Nico hasn’t seen before, and Nico wonders if he’s enough for Will. Would Will want more than what Nico could offer?

“I know Mama will love you,” Will says, smiling. He’s practically radiant right now, his eyes so bright, his cheeks slightly pink. He looks more alive than he has in days, and Nico hopes that the trip won’t tire Will too much. “And Lee will like you, too.”

Nico nods, smiling back. Will was more or less pacing the room as he tried to find some way to contain his energy. They’d already gone on a long walk, and Will was too excited to concentrate on reading. Will practically ran from the room when Bianca and Hazel came to get them.

Bianca smiles at Nico. “I haven’t seen him this energetic ever,” she says. Hazel giggles a little as they watch Will introduce himself to the horses. Then they’re on their way into town.

Nico’s been into town over a hundred times. He used to visit every week when he was younger. Hades said it was a good way to stay humble and that a king should know his people if he’s to govern well. So Nico would walk among the people and talk to them. He’d buy fresh fruit and eat apples underneath the tall trees with the other kids. He stopped visiting so much when he had to visit other kingdoms.

But now, he’s looking at this town with fresh eyes. Before, he’d never really understood the differences between him and the townspeople. He knew the obvious ones, the financial distance, the class difference. But he didn’t understand why these people couldn’t just work their way up. He didn’t understand why he had so much power (even at the age of eight) when no one else did. He didn’t understand his responsibility.

And now he understood it a little better.

“Oh, we can stop here,” Will says. The carriage stops at the edge of the main part of town. Hazel waves to a couple of kids playing tag underneath the sweeping trees. One of them hands her a flower, and she tucks it into her hair.

Will leads them through the twisting roads to his house, a cute little place tucked into a corner of a garden. Will knocks twice before going right inside.

“Lee? Is that you? Don’t tell me you’re tracking mud inside again,” comes a voice.

“It’s me, Mama,” Will calls. And then a middle-aged lady with the same blond hair and blue eyes as Will walks in. Nico can see how her face lights up as she pulls Will into a hug. She takes a step back to look him over, pursing her lips.

“They aren’t starving you, are they?” she asks. Will swallows.

“No, Mama. I’m in good hands.” He smiles. “This is Mama,” Will says, turning to the rest of them.

“Naomi Solace,” Mama adds, bowing. “And to what do I owe the visit? Can I make you some tea?”

They all take a seat around her table. Nico watches Will and Naomi move around the kitchen, making tea. The movements seem like a practiced dance, and Nico feels a little homesick for something he’s never had. They bring steaming mugs of tea over, Naomi smiling at them.

“Lee should be here soon. I sent him into the market to pick up some things for lunch.” She pats Will’s hands, kissing his forehead. “You’re definitely thinner than when you left,” she says, poking at his side. “We’ll have that fixed up shortly.”

“Mama, I’m fine,” Will says, laughing. Naomi only seems half convinced, and Nico feels a little guilty. Will was still pretty thin. It was obvious he could fill out more what with his broad shoulders. “I’ve just been working a lot, you know.”

Naomi huffs. “Working you to death,” she says. She turns to Nico and his sisters. “I don’t mean any insult to your family. Will’s always had a bit of a stubborn streak. He won’t stop until he’s got one foot in the grave.” She shakes her head.

Will shrugs. He’s about to say something when the door opens, and an older version of Will walks in. Nico notes that he’s tracking mud inside, but he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to, he finds out as Naomi sends the man back outside to take off his shoes.

“Boys,” she huffs. “Always a mess somewhere. That’s Lee, Will’s older brother.” Nico catches Bianca fanning herself, and he and Hazel share an amused look.

They make conversation while Lee and Will and Naomi move around the kitchen, making lunch. Nico’s never really seen a meal being made, so he’s more than fascinated even by the simple things.

“Want to help?” Will asks, noticing Nico watching. Nico nods hesitantly. He doesn’t want to mess up the dance or lunch. Will rolls his eyes, grabbing Nico’s hand. “I’ll show you.” He places the knife in Nico’s hands, showing him what he’s doing. Then Nico copies him.

“They’re not the same size,” Nico huffs. Will kisses his cheek, telling him it’s okay. Nico grabs another carrot, determined to make it perfect just like Will had. Six carrots later, he’s almost got it perfect. Will upgrades him to some potatoes. Nico decides that the potatoes are easier simply because they aren’t pointy. He’s definitely more satisfied with the potatoes than the carrots.

“Thank you for your help,” Naomi says, swiping Nico’s vegetables into her pan. Nico catches other vegetables in there that someone else must have cut up. He didn’t think he was that slow. He’s about to sit down again when Will wraps his arms around Nico’s stomach, kissing his hair. They stay like that until Naomi announces that lunch is ready.

She serves up bowls of rice, pouring the veggie and chicken mix over it. Nico thinks it smells amazing. They’re all silent for a few moments while they eat. Nico feels himself flush underneath Naomi’s and Lee’s gazes. He’s holding Will’s hand under the table, and Will squeezes his hand.

“Thanks for lunch, Mama,” Will says as they’re leaving. Naomi kisses each of them on the forehead, smiling.

“You’d better send me more letters,” she says to Will. “Or at least come and visit more often. And don’t forget my home’s always open if they’re not feeding you enough there.” She ruffles his hair. She kisses him again.

“Thank you Ms. Solace,” Bianca and Hazel chime. Naomi smiles.

“You’re welcome, girls. The invitation is open to you as well.” Hazel and Bianca smile. Nico’s the last one out, and Naomi catches his wrist. For a moment, he thinks he’s in trouble, that Naomi disapproves of the man who let Will starve under his nose.

“You have my blessing,” she says quietly, taking his hand. “He wrote me a three-page letter, and at least two of those pages were about you. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him with you. Mess that up, and you may want to flee the country.”

Nico nods. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll take very good care of your son.”

Naomi smiles. “I know, sweetie.” She kisses his forehead, bowing slightly. Nico resists the urge to run back to the carriage.

“I hope she didn’t scare you too bad,” Will says, smiling when Nico catches up. Nico just shakes his head. Just a few moments ago, he’d been thinking that Mrs. Oakes was the scariest woman alive. “She only does that to people she loves, though. So you should feel honored.” He laughs quietly.

“To the bakery?” Bianca asks.

Hazel laughs. “I might have to take mine home. That stir fry was amazing. I’m glad she didn’t make more or I’d have eaten it.” Nico laughs. Naomi’s cooking was amazing. If they didn’t already have an amazing chef, he’d hire her on the spot.

At the bakery, they each choose a pastry. Nico gets his croissant. Will gets a muffin. Hazel and Bianca get a box of cookies. Will goes on and on about how amazing everything looks, about how good everything smells. Nico thinks he’s drooling just looking at the display counter.

“I’m definitely stuffed,” Hazel says. “But one cookie never hurt anyone.” She picks the smallest one, taking a bite.

Will’s yawning by the time they get back, his head heavy on Nico’s shoulder. Nico kisses him fondly, helping him up the stairs. He makes Will change clothes before letting him crawl under the sheets.

“Best day ever,” Will mumbles, his eyes already falling shut. “I love you, Nico.” Nico freezes. They’ve said it before, but it gets his heart beating faster each time he hears it.

“I love you, too.”  
-  
It’s been four days since Will started his apprenticeship. His nose has been stuck in a book in all of his free time, and Nico had to tell him to go to sleep the other night because Will refused to put his book down.

All in all, Dr. Apollo is a quirky guy, and he’s warmed up to Will considerably. He now stops by more regularly to talk about scientific advancements or to show Will a new plant he’s found or to drop off new books. Nico’s already requested a new bookshelf be made to hold all of Will’s books (not all medical-related ones).

“They say it’s supposed to cure the common cold in three days,” Dr. Apollo is saying. “Can you imagine? Three days. Unheard of, I said. And the man just looked at me, gave me a supply, said he’d never charge me again if he was wrong.”

“Have you tried it yet?” Will asks. He’s never read of a plant like this before. It is unheard of.

“Still in the works, my boy. Sometimes it’s more difficult to diagnose the illness than to treat it. Wouldn’t want to give them the wrong supplement or medicine, would we?” Will shakes his head. It’s both thrilling and nerve-wracking to be Dr. Apollo’s apprentice. The doctor is known throughout several kingdoms as the best and most knowledgeable. In his spare time, he travels to discover new plants and remedies.

Will’s still learning which plants to boil and which to cut up and which to never touch at all. But he’s learning, and he’s excited.

He’s laying in bed with Nico later that night, wrapped in Nico’s arms, his fingers tracing Will’s freckles.

“I never thought I could be this happy,” Nico whispers. “I mean, I thought I was happy before. When I was studying and traveling. And I still love all of that stuff. But I wouldn’t trade it for right now. Being here with you.”

Will turns his head so Nico can kiss his lips. He smiles into the kiss, taking his time. They kiss for a few moments before pulling away. Their method of courting is a bit abnormal, a bit outside the usual rituals, but Will doesn’t mind. After all, it’s theirs, and that’s all he can ask for.

“I’ve always believed in happy endings,” Will says. “Maybe not for me, but I believed they existed.”

Nico moves to cup Will’s face. “You deserve a happy ending, Will. And a happy beginning and a happy middle. You deserve happiness.”

Will smiles, kissing Nico’s knuckles. “Everyone deserves happiness.” Nico nods. Will shifts so that he’s facing Nico, taking in his olive skin and dark, brown eyes. His wavy hair is loose and falling onto the pillow like spilled ink. Nico leans forward, kissing a cluster of freckles.

“You’re beautiful,” he says. He kisses another cluster. “You’re handsome.” Another. “Humble. Kind. Thoughtful.” He looks into Will’s eyes, kissing his lips.

“Mine,” Nico breathes. “And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Will giggles he’s so happy right now. “And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Nico.” Nico blushes, kissing Nico again.

“Okay,” he says. He kisses Will once more. “Here’s to happy beginnings.”


	15. not a monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's boyfriend is a demigod. And, apparently, Nico can see through the mist.
> 
> mortal!Nico and demigod!Will

Will kicks his feet up onto the counter while he carefully bandages his fingers. He hates going on quests, especially so when he has a math test the next morning. But he’s the best healer they’ve got, so he obeyed the prophecy and went along. Not that he really did much other than prevent deaths from happening. It wasn’t like he was really all that good at fighting. (It was hard to find time to train between going to school and all of that homework they gave him plus his shifts in the infirmary. In other words, he really didn’t train.)

He’s got a second bandage wrapped around his wrist when there’s a knock on the door. Will sits up, putting his feet back on the floor. He almost regrets it when he sees that it’s Nico di Angelo. He isn’t sure what to think of this guy. He wears all black, has a skull ring, and drives a motorcycle. But he was also quiet and nice and a little funny. And he always seemed to be getting hurt.At first, Will wasn’t sure why. And then Nico asked him out, to which Will had turned him down. (Which was a bigger mess than it should have been. How was Will supposed to know Nico wasn’t some shape-shifting monster out to kill him? He’s already dated enough to those, thank you very much.) And so he’d threatened Nico, almost getting himself kicked out of school. But Nico still came to the nurse’s office when he was sick or hurt.

Will wonders if Nico still likes him or if he’s just prone to injury no matter what he does. Will understands that. Being a demigod was like walking around with a metal stick during a lightning storm. Trouble and pain were always just around the corner.

“What happened this time?” Will asks, more for conversation than anything. He’s bored out of his mind, and he hasn’t talked to anyone all day.

“Tripped in gym class,” Nico says. His voice always catches Will by surprise. It’s soft and smooth and gentle. Will glances at Nico, noticing now that he’s wearing the school-issued gym uniform. He’s got a nasty scrape on his knee.

“Sit,” Will says. He grabs some bandages and disinfectant. “This is going to sting,” he adds. He smooths his hand over Nico’s leg, holding it steady while he cleans the cut. Nico grits his teeth, but he doesn’t flinch. Will applies some ointment, putting a band-aid on.“Bugs Bunny?” Nico asks, a small smile slipping onto his face. Will nods. The nurse bought the band-aids. Not him. If it were up to him, he’d buy superhero and Scooby-Doo band-aids.

“All set to go. You should probably change that when you get home.” Nico nods. He gives Will a small wave as he leaves. Will doesn’t like to dwell on things too long, but he thinks that Nico was acting pretty friendly today. Usually, he just shrugged or glared at Will. But today he’d smiled and even waved. Will just shrugs, wondering if Nico was over his grudge.

When the bell rings later, Will heads to his last class of the day. He spots Nico over in the corner of the room, laughing with some of his friends. He glances at Will, eyes meeting before Nico ducks to laugh at something Percy said.

Will takes his seat in the back, away from everyone. They all think he’s weird because of all of his scars and band-aids. They don’t understand why he’s absent at random times, how he can’t just notify the teacher that he’s on a quest and is going to miss a test. They think he’s skipping to fight or get drunk or just because. Will doesn’t care too much. It’s none of their business, and they might think he’s even weirder if he starts spouting Greek mythology and curses and glows.

So he just lets everyone think he’s a slacker. A slacker with straight A’s and on the honor roll. Sometimes mortals amaze Will. They try so hard to make things make sense that they overlook the obvious. He sighs as he pulls out his books, not paying attention to what the teacher is saying. He doesn’t really care. It’s all review for their test on Wednesday. At this point, if you don’t know the material, you’re screwed.

After school, Argus comes to pick him up, waving to Will as he gets in. Will waves back, not sure what to say. Argus never talked much, just gave kids lifts in the van of his. Once back at camp, Will heads straight to the infirmary. Sometimes he’s able to do his homework there, and sometimes it’s too busy.

“Hey, how was school?” Kayla asks. Will shrugs. School is school. He’s only there so he can graduate and go to medical school. He can’t exactly just heal something as a means of submitting his application. He has to actually know his stuff, too.

“Same as always,” Will says.

“And what about that boy?” Kayla prompts.

“What about him?” Kayla raises her eyebrows. “Nothing happened. He just scraped his knee, so I fixed it up. I doubt he still has a crush on me.”

Kayla sighs. “Boys are so oblivious.” She pauses. “I still can’t believe you pulled a knife on him and almost tackled him. Or that you didn’t get expelled or even suspended.”

Will nods. Chiron had gone down to the school and talked to the principal. For the most part, it seemed that the incident was erased from his mind. Will wonders if Nico remembers it. If not, that’d explain his latest behavior. But he also remembers Nico flipping him off for no reason just last week.

“Yeah, whatever, Kayla,” Will says. He slips on some gloves, moving to check over some of his patients. Since it’s the school year, most of his patients just have minor injuries or illnesses. Colds and anxiety and broken limbs from sports. Will’s glad for this. He doesn’t need to be healing stab wounds or poisoning on a school night. It drains him too much for his liking.

“I bet he still likes you,” Kayla says. “He’s just afraid, probably.” She shrugs, giggling a little bit. “Who knew you could be so big and scary?”

Will huffs. He knows that his blond hair and blue eyes (not to mention his freckles) didn’t exactly scream scary and tough. But he could be if he wanted. Besides, he was tough in other ways. He had to look at major wounds 24/7, and he blamed himself every time someone died. So maybe he wasn’t physically tough, but he could handle his emotions pretty well. (Well enough for what he needed to do.)

“I thought he was a monster,” Will says. He’s said this at least a million times. “It’s not my fault he’s got the voice of an angel and looks like one, too.” Kayla smirks. “No, just some mortal that I had to go and terrify. No wonder he hates me now.”

Kayla just pats Will’s back. She doesn’t comment on the fact that Will basically just complimented Nico. Will’s not even sure what he would say back. Because Nico hated him. So what was the point?  
-  
Nico’s heading out of school when he sees Will Solace laying on the little border that keeps kids off of the lawn. He’s seen Will there before, a lot of times actually. (Will had been laying there the first time Nico ever saw him. It was something about the way he looked, so calm and confident, even with his eyes closed and wearing a ridiculous black beanie with ears, that made Nico fall for him.)

Nico thinks he’s stared too long because suddenly Will is sitting up, giving Nico a hesitant wave. Nico doesn’t glare, but he does his best to look unimpressed. Because what the heck does Will Solace think he’s doing? Just waving to Nico like he hadn’t threatened to end his life? (The nurse’s office was a neutral zone. Nico needed someone to fix him up, and Will was usually the only one there.)

“Hey, um, could you give me a ride?” Will asks. He scratches the back of his neck. “My, um, ride just called me and said that there was some family emergency he needed to take care of.”

“And you’re just laying on the ground, hoping for someone to offer?”

Will shrugs. “Yeah, I guess. But since no one has, I’m asking. So, will you? I can pay you if you want. Like, ten dollars maybe?”

Nico sighs. After Will had basically tried to kill him, Nico had vowed that he wasn’t going to like Will Solace anymore. Except, that was kind of hard when the guy was always so bright and sunny and seemed to capture the sun in his smile. And he always seemed to be trying to make up for his threat, albeit a little awkwardly.

“Whatever. Just this once.” He leads Will over to his car, a hand-me-down from his sister after she’d gotten a better car. At least the engine ran, and it didn’t leak gas. “Don’t leave footprints in the car. I just cleaned it.”

That isn’t exactly true, but he’s not sure if he wants to be this nice to Will just yet. It hurt when Will had practically tried to cut his throat. A simple no would have sufficed. Nico knew when to back off. He drives in silence, Will telling him when to turn. He turns on the radio, fiddling with it a little. He debates whether or not he should try and find something Will wouldn’t like or if he should just find something he likes.

It doesn’t seem to matter. Will starts humming along with the radio in a matter of seconds, head bobbing a little bit as he stares at the window. He taps along his leg to the rhythm. It’d be endearing if this had happened a few months ago. Instead, it’s happening after the incident (that no one seems to remember for some reason), so Nico’s not impressed or even a little endeared. In fact, he’s quite annoyed. He shuts off the radio.

“Thanks,” Will says after a moment of silence. “And, um, sorry for threatening you a while ago. My sisters say I overreact a lot. And I agree with them. But sometimes it’s hard not to. So, yeah. I’m super sorry. And I’ll do almost anything to make up for it.”

“Almost anything?” Nico asks. He considers telling Will to bug off forever, but he feels a little sad at the idea that he’d never see Will again. No matter how confused Will’s face makes him feel.

“Yeah. Like, I won’t dig up a grave or chop off my arm or serenade someone in my underpants. You know.” Will shrugs. Nico nods. None of those things had crossed his mind, but he’s glad they cleared that up.

“Can I think about it?” he asks. He’s also tempted to ask Will on a date. Just one date. He knows Will’s gay, but he isn’t sure if that would be forcing Will to go on a date with him. Will technically consented, and Nico would give him the chance to say no. But it’s tempting.

“Sure,” Will says. “Take your time. The genie awaits your wish.”

“Genies grant three wishes, idiot,” Nico mumbles.

“Well, I’m a special genie. I only grant one wish. And I have limits.” Nico rolls his eyes. He figures that Will would be the exact kind of genie he’d get if he were to rub a magic lamp. His sister would get three wishes. He’d get one, if it fits within the terms and conditions.

“Okay, fine. No gross stuff. No partial nudity.”

“No full nudity, either,” Will adds. Nico huffs. He won’t lie that he hasn’t fantasized about seeing Will shirtless. “Um, just up here,” Will says.Nico glances up to see a strawberry farm. Will’s family was the owner of the strawberry farm? They had the best strawberries ever, honestly. “Your family owns this place? My parents only get strawberries from here. They refuse to get strawberries anywhere else.”

Will smiles. “It’s kind of a family business, I guess,” he says. “I don’t usually do too much with the strawberries. More of my cousin’s job.”

Nico nods. He quickly erases the idea of a cute date idea: walking hand and hand through the strawberry fields, the sweet juice running down their chins.

Will gets out of the car. “Well, see you later. Thanks again for the ride!”

Nico decides what his wish will be on the way to his own house. It isn’t such a horrible idea. And Will would still be able to veto it if he wasn’t against it. He’s going to ask Will on a date.  
-  
Will’s not sure what to think. But Nico di Angelo is standing in front of him, nervously twisting that skull ring of his, asking him on a date.

“You said anything. And that’s what I want.” He pauses. “You’re allowed to say no. And then I’ll choose something else. But, yeah.” He glances down at his feet. Will just stares ahead. He wishes the halls were crowded, so he can ask Nico to repeat what he’s said. But he’s heard it loud and clear.

Nico wants to go on a date with him. Will isn’t sure if he should feel elated or anxious. Because mortals and demigods can’t date. Not really. Demigods don’t function as well in the normal world. They have to be careful with technology, and they attract monsters. And they can’t use their god-given powers. Not to mention super awkward family meet-and-greets. And the fact that Will lives at camp.

“Right,” Will says. “Yeah, sure,” he hears himself saying. “I definitely owe you from last time.”

Nico gives a nervous chuckle, nodding. Both of them are blushing. Nico clears his throat, nodding. Will smiles at him. They stand there for another few moments before the bell rings.

Nico calls his sister the minute he gets home.

“Bi?” Nico asks. He can hear background noises from his sister’s end, telling him that she’s in the cafe that she’s always hanging out in.

“What’s up, bro?” she asks. She’s probably doing her homework in there, Nico thinks. He’d feel guilty for bothering her while she’s working if he weren’t so anxious.

“I kind of asked this guy out,” he starts. “That Will guy? The one who threatened me? And he said yes. But only because I owed him a favor. And I’m afraid that I shouldn’t have.”

He hears Bianca let out a long breath. “Well, fake dating doesn’t usually go well. Although, I guess it’s just one date, right?”

Nico hums. “Just one. And he could have said no. But he didn’t. Probably because he felt so bad about last time. And I gave him a ride home. His family owns that strawberry farm, Bi.”

Bianca makes another complicated sound. “If it goes south, I guess you could say that you dated him for the strawberries.” Nico giggles a little. Honestly, he wouldn’t mind things going a bit south, if anyone got the gist. He’d never tell his sister that, though. She’d fly back from college to take care of Will herself.

“I guess,” Nico says. He sighs. He still stupidly likes Will Solace. He still wants to kiss that smile full of sunshine, wants to know if Will’s hair feels as soft as it looks, the secrets behind all of his cuts and scrapes. (Seriously, Will is the only one who seems to get more hurt than Nico does, but he’s definitely not as clumsy.)

“You really like this guy, don’t you?” Bianca asks. Nico nods before he remembers he’s on the phone. “I guess you should give him another chance, then. If it goes badly, it was just a favor. If it goes well, ask him out again.” She pauses, laughing. “You’re so old-fashioned about dating anyways.”

Nico huffs. He’s old-fashioned because he loves reading those British novels that always have courting rituals and asking for blessings. He thinks it’s important to have consent, to marry for love. “What should we do? I haven’t been on a date in forever.”

“Because you’ve been pining over Will forever,” Bianca says. “Wear those skinny jeans and a button-down shirt. And comb your hair. I’m sure you’ll think of something to do.”

Nico rolls his eyes. He’s so nervous, but talking it out with his sister has helped. “Thanks, Bi.”

“Anytime, little bro. And if it’s really bad, just give me a call. I’ll set him straight.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“But it won’t go bad. You two will hit it off and ride off into the sunset or whatever happens in those books you read.”“Usually marriage,” Nico says. Thinking about marriage is making him nervous again. He hears Bianca giggle.

“Go and get your man, Nico.” Then she hangs up. Nico sighs. Then he gets up to riffle through his closet. He sets out his clothes, afraid that he’ll wear them before he needs to and get them dirty. Then he lays down on his bed, trying to figure out where he could take Will. He has money from his father’s ridiculous allowance (which comes in handy), so money isn’t really an issue.

But he’s not sure what Will likes. And he’s not sure if he wants to ask Will. Because if Will’s just doing it for a favor, he doesn’t want to look like he put a lot of work into it. Except, he does want to put a lot of work into it. Because what if Will really likes it and wants to go on another date with Nico?

Nico groans, burying his face into his pillow. Why didn’t his sister talk him out of this? Isn’t that what big sisters are for? He runs through his memories of Will, trying to think of stuff he likes. All he can come up with is that Will’s really good at school and good at bandaging people up. But going on a date to a hospital wouldn’t be much of a date, right?

Movies are too cliché, and it’s a bit too cold outside for picnics. He could take Will out to eat, but he’s not sure what they’ll talk about. Or even what kind of food Will likes. Is he allergic to anything?

Nico pauses, realizing he’s probably overthinking this. But he’s liked Will all of these months, and he doesn’t even know anything about him. He sighs as he grabs his phone, searching up date ideas.  
-  
Will’s waiting at the end of the ‘driveway’ for Nico to pick him up. Nico hasn’t said anything about where they’re going or what they’re doing. So Will’s dressed in a sweater and jeans. He’s also got a knife hidden in his pocket in case a monster attacks. The last thing he wants is to put Nico in danger again.

Nico pulls up, wearing a button-down and skinny jeans. Will can’t help but think that Nico’s got a nice figure. He gets into the car, noting how nervous Nico seems. He’s pretty nervous, too, honestly. He isn’t sure if Nico still likes him or if Nico’s just doing this because he’s lonely or if he thinks he’s torturing Will.

“So, where are we going?” Will asks. He tries to sound casual. “And my curfew is ten,” he adds. The harpies come out around ten-thirty, and he wants to be well inside his cabin by that time.

“I was thinking lunch, and then they’ve got this art in the park thing this afternoon. Unless you had other ideas.” Will shakes his head, smiling. He knows that Nico really likes English and art, so he’s interested to see what kind of art it is. He, personally, couldn’t tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse, but he likes looking at pretty stuff. And art is usually pretty. Or at least interesting.

“Sounds good to me,” he says when he realizes that Nico’s still looking for confirmation. They drive in silence, Nico fiddling with the radio a bit. Will hopes that this won’t be the most awkward date of his life.

They park outside of an All-American cafe. Nico holds the door for Will, almost dropping it on him when he remembers something. “I almost forgot. I got you flowers.” Will accepts the flowers, smiling when he sees that they’re sunflowers and carnations. He has no idea how Nico got them this out of season.

“They’re pretty,” Will says. If he knew exactly where they stood, he might have said that Nico was still prettier.

They take a booth by a window. A waitress comes by to take their drink orders, giving them some time to peruse the menu. Will keeps glancing at Nico, trying to gather social cues. He’s glad he’s not overdressed for a walk in the park and lunch. Kayla had tried to get him to wear a bowtie earlier this morning.

“So, um, tell me about yourself,” Will says.

Nico gives him a small smile. “Well, I live with my dad and step-mom. They’re usually out of town, though. Business and vacation. I go with them in the summer. And then my older sister, Bianca, is in college right now. Computer science major. No pets, no other relatives.” He shrugs. “You?”

Will pauses, thinking of how to put it. “Well, I live with my uncle and cousins. And I have a lot of siblings. My dad’s kind of a player, I guess.” He pauses again. “And my mom’s passed.” He doesn’t really want to get into that, still a bit of a sore spot.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Nico says. “My mom passed when I was six, but it’s not easy at any age.” Will nods. He’d been eleven. “So, how many siblings is a lot?” Nico asks.

Will wants to laugh. He’s not even sure how many siblings he has. “Seven,” he says, picking a number. It’s a more reasonable number than twenty-seven, which is how many he shares his cabin with. Nico’s eyes widen.

“Oh, gosh. I can’t imagine. At least you have all that land, though. So you can have some space.” Will nods. Camp is pretty big, so it’s not like everyone is on top of each other. “And then how many cousins?”

Will shrugs. “A lot. Like, I don’t even count them anymore. My dad has maybe five brothers and sisters? Probably more, but it changes day to day.” Nico looks a bit stunned. He quickly moves on to asking what Will likes to do, what he’s going to do when he graduates.

“Hopefully pre-med,” Will says. Nico nods. “I just really like helping people. And the healing aspect has always interested me.”

They fall into a casual conversation. Will learns that Nico wants to be a journalist when he graduates, that he uses art as a way to express himself without words. That Will is only the third boy Nico’s ever gone on a date with. (Will’s only dated two boys, too.)

They order their food, Nico wrinkling his nose a little when Will orders his cheeseburger plain. “What kind of heathen orders their hamburgers plain? Like, you can get anything you want on a burger here,” he says.

Will just laughs. “Well, I don’t like them on burgers. Only in salads.”

Nico frowns. “Salads are disgusting, completely against my code.” He crosses his arms. “I refuse to eat salads. I’m not a bunny.”

Will rolls his eyes. “Sorry, Mr. Carnivore.” For some reason, Nico’s face turns bright red. Will wonders if he went too far. “People are omnivores, you know. That means they can eat stuff besides meat.”

“And I am. French fries aren’t meat.” Will just sighs. He had no idea Nico was one of those fast food junkies. He might have suggested a different place to eat. But, still, it was fun to see Nico so open and joking with him. It was a nice change from those glares and middle fingers he got sometimes.

Their food arrives, and Will makes a show of biting into his burger to show how amazing it is with just cheese on it. It’s a little greasier than he likes, but it’s still a good burger. He steals one of Nico’s fries, having gotten chips with his own meal.

“Hey,” Nico says, smiling. He slaps Will’s hand away. “Not my fault that your burger is too bland.” Will just rolls his eyes again. They finish off their burgers and potatoes, joking around some more. Will’s smiling, and Nico’s laughing at Will’s imitation of a chicken.

“Off to the art?” Will asks. Nico nods, paying for the meal. Will tries to at least do half and half, but Nico won’t hear of it.

“I asked you out, so I pay,” he says. Will feels a flutter at that. Was this an actual date? It felt like one.

They head to the park, and Will doesn’t mention that Nico’s holding his hand the whole way there. Instead, he just holds Nico’s hand, smiling as Nico stops mid-conversation. Then Nico’s tugging him around to all of the booths. There’s art on wood, art on canvas, art on glass. There’s art made of wire, art that’s jewelry, art in tiny bottles. There’s so much, and Nico’s suddenly rambling.

Will listens, liking Nico more and more as the minutes go by. He’s more taken with Nico than with the art, but Nico doesn’t seem to notice. He pulls Will to booths, to tents, grabs business cards and samples, debates whether or not he should buy a piece.

“Should I?” Nico asks. He’s looking at this kind of abstract painting of a tree. Or, at least, that’s what Will thinks it is. “I mean, I really like it. But I don’t really need another painting. I already have so many.” He sighs. “But it’s just so beautiful.” The artist blushes. “Will?” Nico asks.

Will shrugs. “I think that if you like it that much, you should buy it,” he says. He just thinks it looks like a tree, but he can tell that Nico will regret walking away with it. Nico hasn’t taken his eyes off it in twenty minutes, hesitantly reaching out to touch it, smiling a little as he looks at it.

“It reminds me of the stuff my mom used to do,” he says quietly on the way back to the car. “She used to paint landscape stuff before she died. My dad kept all of her paintings, couldn’t sell any of them after she was gone. I kind of feel like she somehow made this one just for me.”

Will smiles. He wants to kiss Nico right now. Kiss that sad smile off of his face, rub out the small crease between his eyebrows. He doesn’t, though. He just takes Nico’s hand, giving Nico a small smile.

Nico drops the painting off in his car. “Do you want to walk around some more?” Nico asks. He looks hopeful, like he wants Will to say yes. “Or you could come over to my house.” He shrugs, trying his best to be nonchalant.

“Whichever is fine,” Will says. He’s not sure what it’ll mean if he goes to Nico’s house. Will they be officially dating? What if his dad is home?

“I kind of want to get this home,” Nico says. “And you can help me hang it. Since Dad’s not usually home.” Will nods. He hopes Nico can’t hear his heart beating so quickly.  
-  
Nico isn’t sure why he’s invited Will over. What was supposed to be a short (cute) date turned into Nico almost crying on Will and then the both of them standing on Nico’s bed, trying to hang the tree painting over it. But Nico gets to admire the smooth muscles of Will’s arms. He wishes he could find an excuse for Will to take off that sweater, but Nico’s house is always on the side of cold rather than hot.

“Is this centered?” Will asks. “Or were we even going for centered? My fingers are starting to fall asleep.”

Nico’s thinking that he quite likes the look of Will Solace in his bed. Even if Will’s only standing on it, holding up a painting. He nudges Will over to the left a bit, smiling. “Perfect. Now let me mark it for the nails,” Nico says. He leans over Will (presses just a bit closer than necessary), penciling in where the nails should be. Will sets the painting down, laying on Nico’s bed.

Nico almost drops the hammer on Will. He’s absolutely angelic-looking splayed out on Nico’s bed. His curls are laying on the mess of pillows and blankets, and his sweater has inched up his stomach a bit, exposing a smooth stomach.

Nico gets the nails in, regretting it just a bit when Will has to stand up to hang the painting. Then they step back to admire their work. Will flops on the bed again. Nico wonders if he’s actually tired or if he just feels this at home in Nico’s room. (Nico likes the latter idea.)

“Are you thirsty? Or hungry? There are some chocolate croissants, I think, on the counter.” Will’s eyes light up at this, and he follows Nico into the kitchen. Nico’s not sure what they could do, but he really doesn’t want Will to leave.

They take their pastries back to Nico’s room, eating on his floor so that they can just sweep when they’re done. Only, they don’t sweep. Instead, they somehow make their way back into Nico’s bed. Will buries his face into Nico’s pillows.

“You have the softest pillows,” he says. “I kind of want to steal one.” Nico blushes. If Will had one of his pillows, that would mean that he was sleeping with Nico’s scent right next to him all night. Nico thinks he’s in too deep to not get hurt if this ends up just being a fake date.

“You can’t steal my pillows,” Nico says.

“I don’t need permission to steal something,” Will says, winking. “Besides, you might not even notice. You’ve got at least ten pillows on your bed.” Nico laughs. He loves pillows, his bed, his sheets. It’s the only thing he lets his dad spend a lot of money on. Everything else, he tries to pay for himself. But he lets his dad spoil him with pillows and soft sheets and amazing mattresses.

“No stealing my pillows. I might count them every night.” Will eyes Nico. He shrugs. Nico doesn’t count his pillows, but he’ll definitely know if one is missing.

“Well, I might have to stay here, then.” It takes them both a minute to realize what Will has said, then another minute before either of them can say anything. “I meant, like, because your bed is so amazing.”

“Just my bed?” Nico asks, smirking. He wants to cross his fingers that Will’s not going to break his heart right this very moment. He won’t be able to get the image of Will looking so darn adorable in his bed out of his head for weeks. (And he never wants to.)

“The bed’s amazing,” Will says. He pauses. “And you’re beautiful.” Nico feels like he’s in some movie because the statement kind of takes his breath away.

“Well, you’re gorgeous,” he shoots back.

“Angelic,” Will whispers, scooting closer.

“Don’t hurt me,” Nico whispers back.

And then Will is rolling gently on top of Nico, bringing their lips together. Will tastes like chocolate and sugar, and he smells a bit like grass and sunshine. Maybe also hand sanitizer? And his hair is as soft as it looks. His weight on Nico is probably the most comforting thing Nico has ever felt, aside from his army of pillows and blankets.

“I’m sorry I ever hurt you,” Will whispers. “If I could heal it, I would.”

Nico reaches up to kiss his nose. “I tried to stop liking you,” he says. “For future references, just saying no is a good way to start.”

Will rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” He kisses Nico’s lips again. “So, yes or no, Nico? Will you be my boyfriend?”

Nico’s heart flutters, and he can only nod for fear that he might let out a happy squeal. Will smiles, too, and it’s blinding this close. But then Will’s kissing him again, and Nico thinks he might explode with how happy he feels right now.

Will doesn’t pull away until his arms start shaking from holding himself over Nico. Nico stops himself from whining at the lost of contact. Instead, he snuggles closer to Will, his hand trailing underneath Will’s sweater. Will’s breath hitches, and he kisses down Nico’s neck.

“Not yet,” he breathes out when Nico’s hand makes it past his belly button. Nico nods, pulling his hand back to pull Will closer. Will makes a happy sighing sound when Nico kisses down his collarbone, and Nico smiles. He feels like if he died today, he wouldn’t even mind.  
-  
Will supposes that fairytale endings aren’t for demigods. It’s unfair that they usually get those crappy mythological endings, the ones where they come back to find their families slaughtered, if they even find their families at all. Or they become heroes, only to die some tragic and gruesome death. So, really, it shouldn’t have surprised him that the bliss of the magical first date with Nico didn’t last forever.

Fortunately, or unfortunately (he couldn’t say just yet), it wasn’t his or Nico’s fault that they didn’t get a fairytale ending.

The day started out as normal. Argus drove him to school, and Will finished up his homework on the way there. He went through most of his classes as normal, jotting down notes, listening to the droning of teachers, powerpoint slides, badly drawn diagrams. The usual.

And then just as Will was settling into the nurse’s chair, he hears a scream. He slides the knife out of his sleeve, peeking out of the doorway. For a moment, he thinks that maybe he’s just paranoid, but then he hears the scream again. It’s coming from the gym.

“Will!” It’s Nico running down the hallway. “No, we’ve got to hide,” he says. “There’s someone attacking the kids in the gym.” He tugs on Will’s arm. “It’s got wings and flaming hair. And you probably think I’m crazy,” Nico rambles. He’s still trying to pull Will into the nurse’s office.

Will’s mind spins. Flaming hair and wings definitely sounded like a monster. “Nico, hide,” he says. He frees himself from Nico’s grip before rushing towards the gym. He hears another scream, and another student bursts out of the gym. He’s too afraid to even try and warn Will.

“Will!”

Will runs into the gym, knife out. He’s not quite sure how he’ll do this. Fighting isn’t exactly his area of expertise. He sees a group of boys paralyzed by the bleachers. A girl looks out from the locker room before shutting the door and locking it. The empousa turns to look at Will. Will does his best to shield his eyes. He’s not one to fall for pretty girls, but he’s not sure if the empousa will use that against him.

He does his best to lure the empousa away from the group of students, trying to get them to move. They won’t budge, and Will doesn’t exactly know how to call for backup right now. He can’t leave the students alone and go and IM someone from camp.

“Will!” Nico’s standing in the gym doorway, eyes fixed on Will.

“Nico, I told you to hide,” he says. Nico shakes his head.

“But then you had to go and be a hero. I couldn’t let you get hurt,” he says. He blinks. Then he flinches. Will has enough time to duck as the empousa swoops at them. Nico isn’t as lucky. The empousa snatches Nico up, laughing.

“Looks like I’ll have dinner after all,” she says. She hisses at Will. Nico’s kicking and flailing, his eyes wide with terror. It occurs to Will that Nico can see the empousa. He’s still thinking how to save Nico and the students when he sees movement out of the corner of his eye. With a quick flick, he throws his knife in that direction. He hears a hiss, a puff of golden blood raining down. Nico looks like he’s going to puke.

Will grabs his knife again, trying to aim at the last empousa. He doesn’t want to hurt Nico. “Duck!” Will yells. Nico flinches as Will hurtles the knife. It misses, but it catches her arm. She drops Nico, scratching his arm as he goes down.

“Are you okay?” Will asks. Nico’s shaking a bit, letting Will guide him to the wall. Now, Will’s angry. This time, he doesn’t miss as he aims. His knife sinks into the far wall. The empousa dissolves.

“What was that?” Nico asks. “And you can throw knives?” He winces as Will accidentally hits one of his scratches.

“That isn’t all,” Will says after a minute. Nico seems hesitant to follow him to the nurse’s office, but he does. He sits on the bed, watching Will carefully as he cleans the wounds. “Just hold still. This might itch a little,” he says. He figures if he’s ruined his relationship, he might as well go all the way, right?

He takes a deep breath, singing softly. His hands start to glow, but Nico doesn’t move. He simply stares at Will’s hands on his arm, eyes wide as he watches the cuts seal back up. Will checks his work, stepping back. If Nico wants to run away and never speak to him, Will tells himself that he can handle that.

After all, two weeks is a short time in the grand scheme of things. He should have waited longer. Or never.

“What was that?” Nico repeats.

“I’m a demigod,” Will says bluntly. He figures since Nico can see through the Mist, he might as well come clean. “Like Greek mythology. I’m the son of Apollo. My siblings have other talents, but I can heal. The knife throwing came from practice,” he adds. “Sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Nico asks like he didn’t hear everything before that.

Will shrugs. “Sorry I lied to you. Sorry that I sound crazy. Sorry that you got hurt.” He’s prepared for Nico to walk out on him.

“That happen often?” Nico asks. Will shrugs. More or less, he thinks. “Will, you could have gotten hurt.” He pauses. “Can’t you heal yourself?”

“Not as well,” he says. “It drains me faster. And none of my siblings can do it as well.” Nico nods slowly.

“That’s why you have all of those scrapes and bruises. You’re off fighting those monster things. Oh, gosh, Will. You’re in danger. Like all of the time. And you could die. And I took you to the park. Where a monster could come and snatch you up.” He keeps rambling for a moment, giving Will time to think of what he wants to say next.

“So you believe me?” Will asks. Nico nods.

“I think I have to. I mean, maybe no one else will. But I saw those things. And I don’t think this is a shared hallucination. Right?”

“It’s real,” Will says.

And then Nico is throwing his arms around Will, hugging him close. “You could have died, Will. No wonder you carry a knife with you. Do you have other weapons? A gun or a sword or whatever? Cannons?”

Will laughs, kissing Nico’s cheek. He half expects Nico to pull away. “Just a knife. I’m really terrible at using anything else.” Nico still looks worried. “Hold on a minute. Need to report this,” he says.

He starts up the sink, throwing in a drachma when Isis tells him to. Nico watches with wide eyes. Chiron’s face appears.

“Will?” he asks. Will explains quickly what happened, and Chiron says he’ll send in a team to investigate. Chiron glances at Nico. “Can he see through the Mist?” Will nods. Chiron sighs.

“I’m guessing he’s not your uncle,” Nico says slowly. Chiron laughs at that.

“Nope,” he says. Then he’s gone.  
-  
They skip last period and go to Nico’s house. Nico’s still trying to wrap his mind around all of this, but he’s glad that Will’s being so patient with all of his questions.

“So, like, that farm is a camp? With other people like you? And they all have these powers and fight monsters and talk to Greek gods?”

Will shrugs. “Sort of. Some of the gods are Roman, though, I guess. Depends how you were raised, I supposed.” Nico nods. He’s gripping Will’s hand so tightly, like if he lets go then Will will just disappear on him. He wonders if Will will die in a shower of yellow blood. He kind of wants to ask, but he doesn’t want to know the answer.

Nico offers to get food, but neither of them feels like eating. Instead, they head to Nico’s room, laying down on his bed. This, Nico thinks, is his favorite place to be with Will. He loves to have Will in his arms, laying amongst the pillows. Some of the pillows are even starting to smell like Will now.

“Does this mean we can’t be boyfriends anymore?” Nico asks.

“We can still date,” Will says. “Unless you didn’t want to,” he adds. He glances at Nico, his blue eyes wide.

Nico shakes his head. “No, I’m just worried about the monsters now. What if something happens at that camp? I won’t know about it. Like if you get hurt or something?” He pauses. “Did your mom know?”

Will swallows, his hand pausing in tracing patterns on Nico’s back. He can see the guilt on Will’s face and regrets asking immediately.

“She knew,” Will says. “But she was hoping that I wouldn’t have a strong scent. Because that’s how monsters find you. A special demigod scent or whatever. Apollo’s kind of a minor god, but his children can have strong scents depending on their powers. And mine’s kind of strong, I guess.” He pauses, wiping his eyes. Nico pulls him closer, tucking Will’s head underneath his chin.

“She was trying to take me to camp when this chimera or something attacked us. Mortals can’t cross the border into camp, so we couldn’t get her to safety. And I didn’t know how to kill a chimera then. So she died saving me.” Will shivers, and Nico kisses his hair. He feels something wet hit his shoulder, and he knows Will is crying.

“I’m here, sunshine,” Nico says. It’s all he can think of saying. His own mom died in a car accident, and he knows it’s not his fault. And even though the chimera thing isn’t Will’s fault, either, it’s harder to convince yourself that. (He hates the idea that Will probably knows how to kill a chimera now.)

He thinks he’ll have to start taking defense classes now, to help protect Will. That he’ll learn how to use a knife, a sword, whatever kills those monsters. Because Will was too precious to go down fighting a monster. He deserved to live life and grow old. And Nico promises himself that he’ll do everything he can to protect Will and himself from monsters. Because he knows sacrificing himself won’t do any good.

“I’m here,” he says again as Will sniffles. Will blinks as he pulls away from Nico. Nico hands him a tissue.

“I know,” Will says. He blows his nose, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. His breath is shaky, but he manages a small smile.

“I’m gonna protect you,” Nico says.

“You don’t need to do that. It’s my job to protect you,” Will says.

“None of that superhero junk, Will. You’re my boyfriend. And I can see the monsters, too.” He cups Will’s face. “Besides, if I learn, I’ll be protecting myself. And I’ll need to know how if I’m going to continue kissing you every day, right?”

Will sighs. “Okay, fine. But I’m going to get my friends to train you,” he says. Nico smiles.

“Good. Now that we’ve cleared that up, we should kiss.” Will rolls his eyes, but he presses his lips to Nico’s.

“I’m really glad you weren’t a monster,” he whispers.


	16. best friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets turned into a toddler. He only lets Nico hold him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not ageplay

Nico wasn’t sure what to expect when he answered the persistent knocking on his door. It was around seven-thirty in the morning which meant that he still had half an hour until Will would be here to tell him to get out of bed. (And then Nico would grumble for about half an hour before finally meeting Will on the porch to go and eat breakfast. It was a daily routine. One that Nico didn’t like to have interrupted.) Yet, here he was. Standing in his pjs in front of a guilty-looking Lou Ellen.

“What do you want?” Lou Ellen doesn’t flinch, something Nico blames Will for. (Will and his ongoing campaign to convince the camp that Nico’s more of a grumpy old man than a prince of death. So far, it’s working. Nico’s not sure if he’s pleased.)

“You’re kind of needed in the infirmary,” Lou Ellen says. “Right now. There’s been a bit of an accident.”

And that’s all Nico needs to hear before he’s grabbing his shoes and shadow-traveling to the infirmary. Because accidents in the infirmary could mean that his very annoying (and handsome and cute) boyfriend is in trouble. He gets there before Lou Ellen, but it doesn’t matter. He’s just shadow-traveled into a room full of sick people, highly unqualified doctors, and one toddler.

“Um, Lou Ellen said there was an emergency?” Nico starts. No one seems to pay him any attention. He’s starting to wonder if this is some kind of prank until Lou Ellen bursts through the doors.

“Don’t just stand around,” she says. “Give him his boyfriend.”

This gets the people moving. All at once, they seem to call out that they’re busy, have to do a stock check in the closet, have to go and check on a patient. Nico’s considering just going and finding Will himself when there’s a loud shriek.

He glances down at the little kid on the ground now crying. It’s clearly a son of Apollo what with the blue eyes and the blond hair. He’s even got freckles and a tan, though the child can’t be more than three years old. Lou Ellen moves over to the child, picking him up. The child screams louder.

Lou Ellen thrusts the child into Nico’s arms, and Nico almost pushes him away. But he finds himself wrapping his arms around the boy’s chubby body, pressing his face over his shoulder. Lou Ellen steps back, and Nico gets it. He’s holding his boyfriend right now. Lou Ellen has somehow turned his boyfriend into a toddler. Will is a toddler.

Any other day, he thinks, it’d be almost funny. But right now, he’s just kind of annoyed. Because Will looks so upset right now, like he has no idea what’s happening. Nico adjusts Will in his arms, patting his boyfriend’s back to tell Will it’s okay. He thinks it’s something he would appreciate if he were ever turned into a toddler.

“Right, so, we were thinking it’d be best if you took care of him. Seeing how he seems to like you best and all.” As if to prove her point, Lou Ellen steps forward to hand Will a block he’d been playing with. Will does his best to push her away, finally letting out a scream.

“What did you do to him?” Nico asks. He’s not one for cussing, but he sure would like to now. (Only, there’s a kid around.)

“Nothing,” Lou Ellen says. She shrugs. “I mean, he’s always had the biggest soft spot for you. But he won’t even let Kayla or I hold him.”

Nico does his best to glance at Will. His head is resting heavy on Nico’s shoulder, and Nico thinks he’s sucking his thumb. It’s kind of nice how, even now, Will looks so peaceful sleeping. “What am I supposed to do with him?” Nico asks. He knows nothing about taking care of little kids. All he can do is teach them to sword fight. He’s not exactly known for his social and nurturing skills.

“Carry him around. Play with him. You might need to give him a bath, actually. He got kind of messy at breakfast. Oh, but he’s almost potty-trained, too.” Nico holds back a groan. He liked Will how he was, thank you. He knew Will was cute as a kid, but he didn’t need to experience it. He sighs.

“Fine. But you owe me, Lou Ellen.” She nods, handing Nico a bag that he assumes holds Will’s things.

“Also, keep him away from pointy objects. He seems to really like those things.” Nico sighs again. Of course, Will would be drawn to things like that. He was probably trying to perform surgery or something. Nico glances at Will again, trying to figure out what to do. What did toddlers like to do?

Well, first thing was first. He was going to eat breakfast. It was now past the time he and Will usually ate together, and his stomach was grumbling. He heads to the Hades table, moving to set Will down on the bench. Will shifts, blinking his large blue eyes at Nico.

“Nic?” Will asks. Nico has to admit that that’s cute. Since he’s known Will, Will’s voice was always kind of deep. Now, it’s higher pitched. “Nico?” Will asks again.

“I’m here, sunshine,” Nico says. He refuses to talk to his boyfriend like he’s a child. (Even if he technically is one.) Will keeps looking up at Nico, one thumb in his mouth, his free hand reaching for Nico’s arm. “What do you need?”

“Hold me,” Will says. He tries to stand up on the bench, a little clumsy in his new body. Nico pulls Will onto his lap, deciding he was just going to have to eat this way. Will pulls off bits of eggs and stuffs them into his mouth as Nico eats. He puts a piece of cherry into his mouth before spitting it out and handing it to Nico.

“Just put it on the napkin,” Nico says. He supposes Will’s fully a child right now. He was hoping maybe he’d be regular Will in a toddler body. But it was seeming that Will was currently a toddler through and through. Will continues to take what he wants from Nico’s breakfast until he sticks his thumb back into his mouth. Nico has to remove it for a few seconds to wipe Will’s hands.

“Anything you want to do?” Nico asks. He’s hoping Will’s got some ideas.

“Play!” Will shrieks, turning a few heads. Most of the campers have no idea who the blond kid is, but it’s clear that they think it’s an odd sight. Some coo. (Even as a child, Will was ruining Nico’s dark and brooding reputation.)

Nico nods as Will shrieks again, tugging on Nico’s hand. Nico scrapes the rest of his fruit into the fire before carrying Will to the lake. He wasn’t sure it was the safest place to take a child, but he knows that Will really likes just sitting on the grass and watching the water. He’s hoping toddler Will also likes it.

“Water!” Will shrieks when he sees the lake. “Nico, water!” Nico smiles, kissing Will’s cheek. He’s got some egg in his hair, but Nico just shrugs. Kids are messy, he knows. No point in bothering about it right now. He sets Will down on the grass, pulling off his shoes.

Will gets to his feet, hobbling towards the water. Nico chases after him, pulling Will away as he gets to where the water meets the sand. “We can’t go in. It’s too cold,” Nico says. Will pouts, looking up at Nico.

“Can I touch it?” he asks. Nico still can’t say no to that, so he nods. He holds onto Will’s other hand as he bends down, poking at the water with his fingers. He giggles, looking up at Nico. “It’s wet!” He leans down again, sticking his whole hand into the water. “And cold! Brrrr.” He pretends to shiver, waving his arms and head around.

Nico laughs. His boyfriend is so cute.

“Hey, Nico! Will!” someone calls. Nico turns around to see Percy heading towards them. Will waves, splashing water around. “Heard about what happened. Thought you could use some help since I’ve got some experience now.”

Nico smiles. Percy wasn’t always at camp now that he had a baby sister. And according to Annabeth, Percy was pretty good with kids. He’s about to say something when Percy dashes forward, catching Will’s jacket before Will lands in the lake.

“Careful, little guy. It’s not bath time yet.” Will giggles at this. Percy concentrates for a moment, pulling some water out of the lake. He walks Will back up to the grass, sitting down. “See this?” Will nods. “Want to touch it?” Will nods again. He glances at Nico.

“It’s okay,” Nico says, sitting down beside him. Will glances back at Percy before poking the water. Water droplets break off, but they mold back to the main source. Will giggles, continuously poking at the water and trying to catch the droplets that spray off of it.

“Look, Nico! Look! Magical,” he says. He laughs and claps his hands poking at the water. He tries to hold it in his hands. He even tries to lick it. “Nico, try. You try.”

Will holds Nico’s hand as he makes Nico’s fingers poke at the water. It was a weird feeling, Nico thinks. The water acted almost like jello. But it was still smooth and soft like water. Will slashes his hand through the blob, laughing when it showers over the three of them.

“Gone?” Will asks when he sees that the water is now all over them instead of hovering between them. “Gone?” Will asks again, looking at Nico.

“Maybe if you ask nicely, Percy will let you play some more,” Nico says.

“Pwease,” Will asks. He gives Percy perfect puppy eyes, sucking on his thumb. Percy smiles.

“Watch this,” he says. Then he brings forth little droplets of water. Will reaches out to touch them, but Percy shakes his head. Slowly, the droplets start to take shape.

“Dog!” Will shouts, pointing at the water-figure. Nico smiles, kissing Will’s wet curls. “Horse. Pig. Cat!” Will calls out. He keeps naming the animals, the shapes. He laughs and shrieks when Percy makes the horses run, the cats do flips. Nico and Percy take turns making animal sounds, only for Will to try and copy them.

“Alright, one last one,” Percy says. Nico can tell this is tiring him out a bit. “Do you have a request?”

Will thinks for a moment, scrunching his face up a little. “A heart?” he asks. Percy nods. Will doesn’t shriek or laugh when the water becomes a heart. Instead, he pokes it, looking at Nico. “For my bestest friend ever,” he says, smiling.  
-  
With the morning behind them, Nico was exhausted. It seems like Will has limitless energy. They had played tag, played hide and seek, eaten lunch, watched some sparring. (Nico found it funny that even toddler Will didn’t understand the point of using real swords during sparring.)

“Sleepy, Nico,” Will mumbles. Nico had to carry him back from lunch after Will had almost fallen asleep in his food. Jason had offered to take Will so Nico could get some rest, but Will had cried when Jason so much as tried to pull him away from Nico. (Nico had quickly pulled Will back. Despite knowing that Jason was a great person and hadn’t hurt Will in the slightest, Nico had felt a strong surge of protection over Will and wanted him immediately back in his arms.)

“Me, too, sunshine,” Nico says.

“Sing to me?” Will asks as Nico makes a nest of blankets in his bed. He doesn’t want Will to fall out while he’s sleeping. (Nico is a heavy sleeper, and the thought that Will could fall out and he wouldn’t know was terrifying.)

“What song?” Nico asks, though he has a feeling he knows what song Will wants to hear.

“The sunshine song. The one about me,” Will whispers, snuggling in close to Nico’s body. Nico smiles. If Will were his normal self, he’d say the song was about Nico. But Nico agreed with Will now. Will was the sun. Nico didn’t mind being the moon or the stars.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,” Nico starts. He kisses Will’s cheek, pulling a blanket over him. Will yawns. “You make me happy when skies are grey.” Will yawns again, closing his eyes. “You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

Will’s asleep now, but Nico keeps singing until he can’t keep his own eyes open. Then he drapes an arm over Will’s body, kissing the back of his neck. Will smells the same as he always does: sunshine and sanitizer. And he’s warm as a heater. Nico smiles, glad that some things never change.

When he wakes up, Will’s still snuggled up close to him. He’s snoring softly, his thumb laying right by his head where it must have fallen out. Nico kisses Will’s cheek before heading to the bathroom. He stretches, attempting to fix his hair.

He rummages through the bag again, looking for any new toys. There are the usual things: pull-ups, snacks, wipes, extra clothes. He finds the blocks again, a stuffed green dinosaur, and some crayons. He pulls the crayons out, knowing he has some paper around. He finds it in his nightstand.

“Can I color?” Will asks. Nico glances up. Will’s laying there, rubbing his eyes. He still looks so sleepy, and this is one of Nico’s favorite expressions on Will. He loves how Will looks just waking up, when he’s soft and warm and super affectionate.

“Want to sit down here?” Nico asks. He doesn’t think coloring on his bed will work too well. He helps Will down from the bed, letting Will sit on one of his pillows. Will’s eyes light up when he sees the stuffed dinosaur. He grabs it, hugging it to his chest as he lets out a squeal.

“Mr. Dino!” Will says, shoving the plushie at Nico. Nico remembers the toy now, usually sitting on Will’s made bed back in the Apollo cabin. Will’s friend from childhood. Will starts coloring, great big strokes that sometimes go off the page. Nico’s definitely glad that they aren’t coloring on his bed now. The floor is easier to clean.

“Do you like it?” Will asks. He holds up his picture so Nico can see it. Nico’s not quite sure what it is, maybe a bunch of bugs standing around a giant sun? But he nods, smiling. Will grins. He writes his name at the bottom, chunky letters that are somehow better than grown-up Will’s letters. (Nico supposes not everything changes for the better.)

“We can share,” Will says when he notices that Nico’s not coloring. He shoves his pile of crayons closer to Nico, handing Nico a sheet of paper. Nico smiles, kissing Will’s forehead.

“Thank you, Will,” he says. Will beams. Then he’s busy coloring again, humming out of tune. Nico’s not sure what to draw. He’s not quite an artist, but he isn’t bad either. He can draw well enough that people know what he’s drawing. He sets to work on drawing Mr. Dino.

“For you,” Will says softly after a while. He’s been guarding the picture he’s working on, making sure Nico doesn’t look. Not that Nico has been. He’s been too busy trying to find the right shade of green for the dinosaur. He looks up now, seeing Will’s shining eyes first.

The picture surprises Nico. It’s the two of them, Will with a giant sun over him, and Nico with what look like stars. They’re holding hands on the beach (or in the water, maybe). Will’s drawn a heart around them. Nico’s heart melts a little more. He’s not sure how Will keeps getting cuter.

“I love it, Will.” He smiles, kissing Will on both cheeks. He wishes Will were his normal size so he could tackle him in a hug. “I’m going to hang it up right here,” he adds. He grabs some tape, taping the picture right next to his bed. Will grins at this.

“Is this for me?” he asks, looking at Nico’s picture. Nico stops himself from shrugging.

“You and Mr. Dino,” he says. Will rushes forward, hugging Nico. His arms don’t quite reach around Nico, but it’s still a good hug.

“You and Mr. Dino are my bestest friends,” Will says. “That means I love you.”

Nico smiles. “Want to go eat dinner?”

Will nods. On the way to the dining pavilion, they pass Lou Ellen. She gives them a thumbs up. Nico smiles back. He thinks he’s getting the hang of this whole thing. And Will’s still pretty cute as a kid, if just less annoying. But then Nico hears a small crash from the dining pavilion, looking up in time to see Will shove half a cupcake into his mouth.

Nico just sighs. He did say less annoying. But he loves him anyway.


	17. i'd love to

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason's overprotective plan is backfiring. Now, Nico needs to find a way to save both him and Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: mentions of bullying, internalized homophobia, mention of/referenced self-harm, implied/referenced depression, referenced suicidal thoughts
> 
> please let me know if I need to tag anything else

Nico isn’t sure how he had gotten himself into this mess, how he’d been branded but also hidden. He didn’t wear the same sneers that Bryce and Octavian did, he didn’t hold his head up high and look down on everyone, he didn’t even really make fun of everyone. But he was a part of their group, so everyone left him alone.

He knew it was partially Jason’s fault, Jason always trying to be the big brother. He knew it was because Jason was just trying to protect him, keep him safe. But he didn’t feel safe. He didn’t agree with Jason about that old refrain: keep your friends close, your enemies closer. To him, it merely muddled the lines between friend and enemy. Jason wasn’t hurting him directly, but he was still hurting him. And Percy wasn’t hurting him, but he wasn’t helping him.

And Bryce and Octavian were hurting him, but they were also his friends by technicality. So where did this leave Nico? Friendless? He isn’t sure. All he’s sure of is that he’s got a huge crush on a blond-haired boy with bright blue eyes and that he’ll be pretty much beaten to death if either Bryce or Octavian find out. So he keeps his mouth shut, closes off his heart, pretends it doesn’t hurt.

“Cheer up, man,” Jason says, slinging his arm around Nico’s shoulder. They used to be close, best friends, back when life was less complicated. Now, Nico’s not so sure. “Just one more year of this, okay?”

Nico sighs. One more year of pretending to be everything he’s not. One more year of doing everything everyone tells him to. One more year of pretending that he doesn’t want to die every time he takes a breath. “Yeah, whatever,” he says. Jason shoots him a smile.

“Life isn’t always fair,” Jason says, his serious look back in place. “Right, Perce?”

Percy just shrugs. Nico’s noticed a change in Percy, too, lately. He isn’t goofing off as much, isn’t always taking Jason’s jokes and words of wisdom straight to heart. In the last two weeks, they’ve had three arguments, Percy storming out. Jason swears he’s just protecting Nico, protecting Percy. But Nico isn’t sure what he’s being protected from anymore.

“I can’t wait for college, man,” Jason says. “No more of this nonsense.” Nico can agree with that. Although, he thinks, it’s more of a forced nonsense. He doesn’t have to be a part of Bryce and Octavian’s group if Jason just lets him breathe a little. He’s not sure whatever secret Percy’s hiding, but he’s not sure it’s something that can wait for another year.

After all, a year is a long time.

“Let’s just go eat,” Percy says. He’s been getting good at deflecting things, Nico thinks. He used to crack jokes because he wanted to. Now, he stays silent for fear of having his words be taken the wrong way. Nico understands.

They head to the cafeteria, sliding their trays through the line. Nothing really looks all that good. It’s just the usual cafeteria slush. But it’s either this or go hungry, and Nico’s not sure which one is worse. He picks at his mystery meat, tearing up a stale roll. Crumbs are covering his lap, but he doesn’t really care.

“So, have you talked to Annabeth?” Jason is asking. Percy shoves his entire roll into his mouth. Jason waits patiently for it to be gone.

“I have,” Percy says after a few moments. “She’s going to help me in math.” Jason nods. Annabeth’s been helping Percy in math for the past four years.

“Are you going to get her number?” Percy shrugs. Annabeth has been Percy’s crush for the last three years, ever since they had some school project together and Percy became mesmerized with the way Annabeth held a pencil. “Or you could just ask her out,” Jason adds.

Percy shrugs again. Jason’s never pushed Percy so hard to go out with Annabeth. He was usually just content to listen to Percy ramble on about Annabeth with no real commitment. Now, it was like Jason wanted Percy with Annabeth the same way he wanted Nico in Bryce and Octavian’s group. Whether or not Percy even still liked Annabeth. Nico never bothered to ask.

“I’m just waiting for the right time, you know,” Percy says. He steals Nico’s apple, biting into it. He chews for a second, setting the apple down. He doesn’t elaborate on what the right time could be, not like he used to. He used to go on for hours about taking Annabeth to prom or renting a car so he could drive her around to look at the architecture of the city. Now he just talks about how Annabeth is saving him from flunking math.

“The right time is the time you ask her,” Jason says. Percy doesn’t say anything. Nico stays quiet. He pretends to be trying to read the bulletin board behind Percy’s head. He doesn’t want to hear Jason’s routine lecture about hiding his ‘gayness’ and keeping ‘under the radar.’ He’s never been ashamed of who he is or who he likes, but, lately, Jason’s words are getting to him.

He almost smiles when he spots Will across the cafeteria. He’s wearing a faded blue shirt, one of Nico’s favorites to see Will in, the one that makes his eyes stand out. He’s got his usual lopsided smile on his face, his blond curls tumbling every which way. Three years ago, Nico would have gone right up to Will and asked him out. Now, he was afraid to even make eye contact.

Which was pretty cowardly in his opinion. Since Will was out and proud to be gay.

Nico remembers the day he’d come out to Jason. They’d been taking the bus home together, and Nico had leaned over and whispered it into Jason’s ear. The next day, Jason had started talking about joining Bryce and Octavian in their conquest of their high school’s LGBTQ+ population. Nico’s never been more confused in his life than when Jason told Nico that he supported him and then shoved him towards the two people who would probably hate him most.

So now while Nico knows being gay isn’t wrong, he can’t help but think that there must be something wrong with him.  
-  
He’s at their usual meeting. Bryce and Octavian are sipping beers while they talk about their latest victories. They’d raided the drama club again just last week, scaring half of those kids to other schools. They had also taken on the chess club in a someone unsatisfactory victory. Apparently, the chess club wasn’t going to put up a fight. They’d already evacuated the room by the time Bryce and Octavian had gotten there.

“I was thinking we’d let the newbies join in on the fun,” Bryce is saying. “What do you say di Angelo?”

Nico shrugs. He’s never openly participated in their conquests, but he’s never openly despised them. Octavian said that Nico was just saving his pent-up anger for a truly worthy victim. Nico wonders if they think they’ve found him. Or if this is the kind of punishment he gets for being out but not out, for not standing with his fellow LGBTQ+ peers.

“Will Solace,” Octavian says. “Strike any bells? Blond and sunny. Like the poster child for gay. Both meanings.” Nico almost smiles at that. Will was gay in most senses of the word, though he wasn’t a stereotypical gay with the fashion sense and the girl friends to go with it. Will was just Will. There wasn’t any other way Nico could have described it.

“So your job is to take down Will Solace,” Bryce says. “Any means you want. Your pick. We’ve put off your initiation into this group for a year now. It’s time you earn your badge. We’ll organize everything, but you’ve got to do it.”

Nico stops himself from throwing up. The last thing he wants to do is make Will feel ashamed of himself, to lose that smile that makes Nico’s heart beat so fast.

“Sure, yeah,” Nico says instead. Octavian grins. Jason gives him a small thumbs up. Percy glances at him. They discuss a few other victims that Bryce and Octavian have picked out. Nico feels like he’s in a daze.

Percy and Jason catch up with him. Percy offers him a small smile. Jason slings an arm over his back.

“It’s not so bad,” he says slowly. “I mean, you don’t have to crush him, you know. Just kind of poke some fun at him. Then back off.” Nico remembers when Jason and Percy became somewhat official members of the club. They’d had to pick on some random girl who looked like she was going to punch them in the face. Their membership was still pending, but they’d technically passed initiation.

“You could just say you did it,” Percy says quietly. He’d disapproved of Jason’s idea of protection from the beginning, but he’d joined out of loyalty to Jason and Nico. He said that if Nico was going into the belly of the beast, he was going to be there to protect him. Jason had tried to correct him and say that they were in the eye of the storm. Nico agreed with Percy.

Now, with Jason’s arm looped over his shoulders and Percy suddenly quiet, Nico’s angry. Because this is Jason’s fault. Jason’s fault that he’s had to hide, that Percy doesn’t make jokes anymore, that he can’t even look at himself in the mirror.

“Leave me alone,” he says. And then he takes off running down the street. They were all supposed to go over to Jason’s house after school to do homework, but Nico doesn’t want to be around Jason right now. He can’t stand to look at his best friend and wonder where he’s gone. Why he’s made Nico hate himself so much, why Nico listened to him in the first place.

Because he’s a coward, his mind supplies for him. And now Nico’s angry at himself. He feels hot tears pushing their way down his face before he makes it through his front door. His parents aren’t home, and his sister is gone. So it’s just him now. Him and his stupid thoughts and cowardly face.

He knows what hurt feels like, and that’s the last thing he wants Will to feel. Will who makes Nico feel both ashamed and proud, who makes him smile even when all Nico wants to do is stab a knife through his wrist, who once bumped into Nico in the hall and complimented him on his eyes. His boring, brown eyes. And it’d made Nico’s entire month.

So he’s not going to be responsible for destroying Will Solace. If anything, he’s going to be responsible for protecting Will Solace. Or at least go down trying.  
-  
He sees Will standing in the hallway, talking to one of his friends. And he also sees Bryce and Octavian watching him. Nico knows that if he doesn’t make his move, they will. And then maybe Will will be crushed, and Nico will be, too. They won’t even have to lay a finger on him.

“Hey, Will,” Nico says. Will flashes a smile at him, turning away from the girl he was talking to.

“Hey. Nico, right?” Nico nods, fighting off a blush. He can’t believe that Will knows his name. He can’t remember the last time they had an actual conversation. Probably back in middle school when Will wore those Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops to school every day.

“Yeah. I was wondering if you wanted to maybe come over after school today?” He sounds nervous. He is nervous. He knows the plan, and he hates that he feels guilty for straying from it.

“Um, yeah, sure. Do you need help with something? Or is this just like us hanging out?” Will asks. He’s got such a cute little smile on his face right now that Nico almost forgets what he’s doing.

“Hanging out. But we can do homework, too, if you need.” Nico shrugs. He hopes Bryce and Octavian are far enough away that they can’t hear the conversation.

“Yeah, sounds fun,” Will says. “You know, I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” he adds, scratching the back of his head.

“Why?” Nico asks.

Will laughs, and it’s so cute. “Because you just seem really interesting, and I want to get to know you better.” He pauses. “But every time I get close, your friend seems to glare daggers at me.” He looks nervous now, glancing around. “Also, you’re always hanging out with Bryce and Octavian.”

Nico feels his stomach plummet. Does that mean Will thinks that he’s like that? Like Bryce and Octavian?

“Jason’s just super protective,” Nico says. He’s not sure how to explain the rest. Especially not in the middle of the hallway with them watching. Will nods slowly.

“Well, I’d love to hang out with you,” he says. And Nico hates how innocent Will seems, like he doesn’t even realize that he’s walking into a trap. “I’ll meet you by this water fountain after school?” Nico nods. Will smiles at him, waving a little bit.

It’s not even a few seconds later that Bryce is clapping him on the back. “Nice work, di Angelo,” he says. He winks. Nico just nods, running to his next class. He’s got to find a way to steer Will away from the inevitable ambush. He knows the plan, and he knows he’s set it into motion. If this goes badly, it’s all going to come down on him.

By the end of the day, Nico’s a wreck. He hasn’t paid attention in any of his classes. He’s barely taken any notes. He’s had to excuse himself to the bathroom four times for fear of throwing up or passing out. One of his teachers even asked if he needed to go to the nurse’s office. Nico shook his head. He needed to be here for Will, to protect him like Jason hadn’t protected him.

He meets Will outside of his last class instead. Will looks surprised, but he doesn’t seem weirded out by it. Instead, he starts rambling about one of his teachers and how they were always giving out too much homework. Nico smiles a little, relaxing just slightly as Will’s hand somehow slides into his. He glances at Will, almost laughing when the other boy doesn’t even seem to notice.

Nico clings to it, pulling Will out the back door of the school. If they can walk fast enough, they’ll avoid the ambush and any other threat. For the day, at least.

“Why are we walking so fast?” Will asks. His cheeks are a little pink with exertion, and Nico just wants to kiss them. “I mean, you always walk fast. But it’s such a nice day outside.” Will throws his head back, looking up at the trees. It’s autumn, so the leaves are just changing colors, bright reds and oranges and yellows. The brown leaves crunch underneath their feet.

Nico tries to come up with an explanation, but he can’t think of a good way. There isn’t always good lighting for the truth. Sometimes it just comes out messy. “I’m trying to protect you,” he blurts. “Octavian and Bryce have made you their next target.”

Will blinks. “I thought you were in their group.” He pauses. “I haven’t ever seen you pick on someone, but you’re always there. Why haven’t you tried to protect anyone else?” Will doesn’t sound mad, but the light, friendly tone is gone. He pulls his hand out of Nico’s.

“I don’t know,” Nico says. It’s not quite the truth, but the truth is sticky.

“I thought maybe you were asking me over because you liked me. Not because you were suddenly feeling guilty,” Will says. He doesn’t look mad, either. Just upset or something. Like Nico hurt him. “Helping me isn’t going to make you feel better,” Will adds.

“What will?” Nico asks quietly. He’s so tired of pretending, of lying, of hiding. He just wants this all to be over, for college to start, or for Bryce and Octavian to disappear, for Jason to become his best friend again. He realizes that in this mess he’s somehow become Jason. He’s become the blind protector, trying to do what’s right without thinking about why it all matters. Without realizing that some things can’t be protected, that something’s got to give.

Will’s quiet for a moment, his eyes on the leaves. “Let’s just walk,” he says. “Clear our minds a little.” He takes off at a brisk pace, not waiting or looking back to see if Nico will follow. But Nico is. He doesn’t dare try to catch up with Will, just follows behind him at whatever pace feels right. He doesn’t like that Will’s mad at him, but he feels that it’s justified. He’s mad at himself.

He doesn’t know where Will’s going or how long they're going to walk, and he doesn’t ask. There’s something freeing in doing something just because he wants to. After all, he could turn around and walk back to his house whenever he wants to. But his mind isn’t clear yet, and the last thing he wants to do is turn away from Will.

They stop by some park, just stop right in the middle of the sidewalk, nowhere in particular. Will stops, takes a few deep breaths, turns around. Nico meets his gaze. He can see that Will’s been crying. He hopes it’s not his fault, but he has a feeling that it is.

“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” Will says softly. He wipes at his face. “I just really kind of like you, but I don’t want you to like me simply because I’m like the last gay on earth or whatever.”

Nico tries to laugh, but he just ends up crying. And then Will is taking two steps forward, another three, one more. He’s standing right in front of Nico, offering a tissue. Nico has no idea where Will got it, but he accepts it, blowing his nose. Will lets him cry, and Nico cries until he’s afraid he’s going to throw up. Then he sits down. Will follows suit.

“I’m a mess,” he says. Will nods, smiling. “But I want to fix this. Whatever this is.” Will nods again. “And I’m sorry for lying to you.” Will takes his hand.

“It’s not me that needs that last apology,” he says. Nico nods. It’s so much harder apologizing to yourself. It’s like a natural instinct to push it away. It takes a few minutes of this give and take before he looks up at Will.

“Can you help me?” Will nods, scooting just a bit closer.

“Maybe it’ll be easier if you start with me,” he suggests. Nico’s confused for a moment. Then he understands.

“I like boys,” he says softly. He feels something inside of him give. “I like boys,” he says again, a little louder this time. He closes his eyes, keeping Will’s gaze on him. “I’m gay.” He lets out a breath. He still hasn’t fully apologized to himself, still hasn’t fully accepted. But it’s a start.

He turns to look at Will. “Can we, maybe, start over?” Nico asks.

Will sticks out his hand. “Hi, I’m Will,” he says. “Do you want to, maybe, be friends?”

Nico smiles. “I’d love that.”  
-  
It’s been three days since Will confronted Nico and Nico confronted himself. And he’s feeling a little better. He still kind of wants to stab himself, but he now has someone he can reach out to. He’s been doing his best to avoid Bryce and Octavian, though they keep asking when he’s going to finish off Will. He would tell them that he’s getting closer to Will to destroy him better, but he’s done lying. So he tells them nothing. They’re getting suspicious, hungry, he knows.

He’s on his way to Will’s house when he gets a call.

“Nico?” It’s Jason. “I really need someone to talk to,” he says.

“Speak, then,” Nico says. He’s also been avoiding Jason and, by default, Percy. He’s not exactly hiding, but he needs time. Jason’s his best friend, but he’s also sort of Nico’s enemy. And Nico’s never liked sides. Circles are his favorite shape.

“So, Percy came out to me today,” Jason says. Then he curses. “Um, I’m not sure if I should have told you that. But I really don’t know who else to talk to. So please don’t hang up or get mad.”

“Keep talking,” Nico says.

“Right. So Percy came out as bi, says he’s known for a while and all. That he’s not sure if he still likes Annabeth the same way anymore. That he might like someone else actually.” Nico has a feeling he knows where this is going. He’s already texting Will that he’s heading over to Jason’s instead.

“That he might like me,” Jason says after a minute. “And I’m not sure what to do. Because I don’t think I like him back. But he is one of my best friends. Like my brother, really. And I don’t do that. Like my brother, I mean. But he’s also my best friend. So maybe I like my best friend? And I just feel so conflicted right now.”

“Calm down, Jace. I’m heading over.” He hears Jason take a few deep breaths.

“Right, yeah. Okay.” A pause. “Thanks, Nico.”

When he gets to Jason’s house, he finds a mess. Jason has raided the fridge, completely unmade his bed, has clothes lying all over the floor. Jason tackles Nico in a giant hug the minute he’s through the bedroom door.

“Look, I’m still mad at you right now. But we’re still friends,” Nico starts. He isn’t sure he can stand Jason being all mushy right now, but he’s also not going to let Jason panic. He was friends with Percy before he was friends with Nico. And Nico knows what it’s like to have a crush on your best friend. And be crushed by it.

“Okay,” Jason says. He sits down on his bed, patting the space beside him. It’s a little awkward now, a little tense. Jason starts his story over again, telling him how Percy had met him outside after school just today, how Jason’s been freaking out about this for a few hours, how he finally had to tell someone or else he was going to burst.

“Is the problem that he might like you?” Nico asks. “Or is the problem that you don’t know if you like him?” He knows they sound about the same, but they’re very different questions.

“The problem is that I’ve been a horrible friend,” Jason says. “That he was literally scared to tell me that if he was bi. That he was scared to say that he liked me. And I feel horrible about it. I didn’t even know.”

Nico gives him a pointed look. He’d been suspecting something like this, but there hadn’t been any room to talk about it. “I’m gay,” he says, looking Jason right in the eyes.

“I know,” Jason says. “And I’ve been a horrible friend to you, too. Forcing you into that group. Encouraging you to beat up Will.” He runs a hand over his face, groaning. “I don’t even know how to fix this right now. It’s all such a big mess. I thought that maybe it’d just be a temporary thing. But I think I’ve permanently messed up.” He flops back on his bed, shoving a cookie into his mouth.

“You have been a horrible friend,” Nico says. “But you’re also owning up to your mistakes now. And that’s the first step in making things right.”

Jason sighs. “When did you get so smart?”

Nico huffs. “I’ve always been smart. You’ve just never asked.” There’s still bitterness and anger there, but Nico doesn’t want to lose this friendship. He’s willing to mend it if Jason is.

Jason sits back up. “I’m really sorry. I haven’t even asked how things are with Will. You seem happier now. I’ve been meaning to tell you that. Sorry I was such a homophobe. I just thought that maybe it’d help protect you.”

Nico nods. “From being beat up maybe,” he says. “But not from hating myself.” Jason nods. “But Will’s helping me be honest with myself. And maybe we can start being honest with each other, too.”

Jason smiles. “I’d love that.”  
-  
Nico wishes that something in his life could just go right. He’s on his first date with Will when his phone dies, but he doesn’t think too much of it. In a way, he’s glad. Because school has been really tough since both he and Percy have come out. Bryce and Octavian have banned them from the group, targeting them. Their main goal is to get Percy and Jason expelled, but so far all attempts have ended in failure.

Today had been surprisingly quiet. Nico had barely seen Jason or Percy in the halls, had barely seen Bryce or Octavian. He didn’t think too much of it. Their classes never crossed, and they didn’t usually see each other until lunch or after school. And they’d been there to give Nico a high five and a smile before saying that they were heading over to Percy’s house for the afternoon.

Nico had just nodded, nervous that he was going on his first date with Will. He’d never gone on a date before, never been asked out, never even kissed anyone. So he was a bit more than nervous, nervous that he’d mess this up, that Will wouldn’t ever want to speak to him again.

“I can’t believe my phone just died,” Nico says. Will smiles at him. They’re at some cafe right now that Will likes. Nico isn’t sure he quite likes it as much, but the food is good. He’s been trying to text Jason and Percy for advice, but they’ve been surprisingly quiet. He wonders if they’re sorting out their problems right now. He hopes they are. That’s the only good reason he can think of for their radio silence.

“You can charge it when we get back to my house,” Will says. Nico nods. The plan for tonight was to get dinner and then go back to Will’s house to play video games or watch a movie. Nico wasn’t sure that was how most dates went, but it sounded perfect to him. There wasn’t any pressure to dress up or impress anyone. He could cuddle with Will and eat popcorn and kick his butt on Mario Kart.

“Thanks for giving me a chance,” Nico says. Will reaches across the table, taking Nico’s fingers.

“I was always going to give you a chance. But thank you for giving me a chance.” Nico nods. He’s still trying to figure out how to be comfortable in his own skin after so many years of trying to change it. It’s not as hard as he thought it was going to be. The hardest part is telling himself that it’s okay to be comfortable.

“Let’s head back to my house, okay?” Will asks. Nico nods. They get a box for their mostly uneaten food, and Will pays. Then they head back to his house. They finish their dinner while the movie is playing, their fingers intertwined underneath the blanket. They’re still a little awkward, obviously new to this, but Nico’s never felt more at ease.

He remembers his phone when Will gets up to throw away their boxes. He plugs his phone in, hoping for a response from Jason or Percy. He’d told them about his date in hopes of getting support and encouragement, but all he’s getting is silence. It’s a little unnerving with how supportive they’ve been all week.

“Hey, you okay?” Will asks. He’s brought some chocolate milk over for Nico. Nico smiles.

“I’m kind of worried about Percy and Jason. They haven’t responded which is really weird.” Will nods.

“Maybe they think that they’re giving you space to do this. Without any interference.” Nico shrugs. That sounds like a very Jason thing to do, to go from helicopter parent to completely hands-free driving. It makes him feel a little better if not completely at ease.

They watch the movie through the credits, and then Nico’s phone starts lighting up. He curses under his breath when he sees how many missed messages and calls he’s got. Most of them are from Percy and Jason’s family. Only one of them is from Jason: Wish you the best of luck on your date, bro! Perce and I are skipping town.

Nico just sits there, staring at his phone until Will carefully pries it from his hands. He reads the text. “Come on, Nico. Let’s go find them.”Nico nods, letting Will lead the search even though he’s probably better for the job. For some reason, the urgency doesn’t hit him until later. The text seems so ridiculous. He can’t imagine Percy and Jason leaving town without him, can’t imagine them leaving town at all. They were all born and raised here. There was nowhere else to go. It was just a joke, something Percy made up to get Nico to respond.

But that didn’t explain all of the other texts. The ones that asked Nico if he knew where Percy was, where Jason was, why neither of them was responding. It didn’t explain the text he just got as he was sitting in Will’s car: Wish us luck. Love you, man!

“Stop the car,” Nico says. It takes a minute for Will to do so, carefully parking it on the side of the road. “I know where they are.”

It’d been something they’d talked about in middle school, leaving town, going on an adventure, exploring. They had gotten equipment, supplies, stuff they thought they would need after two weeks of research. They stashed all of their stuff in their old treehouse, out behind Nico’s house. A place they knew Nico wouldn’t be tonight.

“Jason! Percy!” Nico calls the moment he’s stumbling out of the car. Will runs to catch up with him, trying to calm him down. But Nico won’t calm down until he finds them. They can’t leave without him, they can’t leave him. Not after everything they’ve been through. “Don’t you dare leave!” Nico yells. He knows he probably sounds crazy, but he can’t do this without them. No matter how horrible of friends they’ve all been to each other, they’re still friends.

“Bro, walking out on your date is a no-no,” comes Percy’s voice. And then he switches his flashlight on, blinding Nico with the light.

“Is it okay if he brought him along?” Will asks. Percy’s frown becomes a wide grin.

“Dude, you brought him! Aww.” Nico has no idea what’s happening.

“You guys can’t leave,” he says. He knows how lame it sounds, like a child whining that their mother has to go to the grocery store.

“We can’t go back to that school, Nico,” Percy says. “Not with Bryce and Octavian. Leaving isn’t always cowardly.”

“But what about me?” Nico asks. He knows they aren’t going to take him with them. “What about graduation? And college? And being best friends?” He feels like crying. Just when he thought everything was coming together again, it’s all falling apart.

“Nothing’s ever easy, Nico,” Jason says, stepping forward. “And we aren’t about to take you away from Will.” Nico glances over at Will.

“It’s your choice, Nico,” Will says softly. He places a kiss on Nico’s forehead. “If you ask, I’ll go with you.”

Percy coos until Jason makes him shut up. “Go where?” Nico asks. “I can’t ask you to just leave.” Everything was happening so fast. They still had a whole semester and a half to finish before they were graduating. But somehow Nico knew that that was too long to wait.

“We could transfer,” Will says. “There’s another school just ten minutes away. We can start over.” He gives Nico a small smile. Nico’s about to say something, but Percy beats him to it.

“Man, I love the way this guy thinks. We didn’t even think about that, Jason, did we?” Jason just sighs, shaking his head. “Just up and run, he says. No other choice, he says. No looking back, he says.”

“In my defense, you have completely fried my brain,” he says. Percy laughs.

“Aww. You love me.” Jason just rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling.

“Will you transfer with me?” Nico asks softly.

Will kisses him again, this time a quick peck on the cheek. “I’d love to.”


	18. jason's nephew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's not lonely, but Jason seems to think otherwise - featuring Will as Jason's nephew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by a post by bouyantsaturn on tumblr - I'd totally recommend checking out their writing :)

Nico groans when Jason walks in with that look on his face. He’s seen too much of that look the last few months, and he’s about ready to concoct some elaborate lie if it’ll just get Jason off of his back. Because, no, he does not need a man to complete his life. And he definitely doesn’t need his best friend’s help to make his life less lonely. Nico’s not lonely. He’s a bachelor. There’s a distinct difference in his mind.

“Neeks!” Jason calls as he lets himself into the apartment. He still has his key from when he used to live with Nico. He refused to give it back when he moved out with his girlfriend and soon-to-be-fiancé, Piper. (Something about how he needed to be able to check on Nico to make sure he was eating his vegetables and getting enough sun. Not that Jason’s presence was going to change any of that.)

“Go away,” Nico groans from where he’s sprawled on the couch. He’s been trying to fall asleep for the last twenty minutes, but something keeps stopping him. First, it’d been an annoying telemarketer calling. Then it’d been the neighbors. And now it was Jason.

“That’s no way to treat your best friend!” Jason pouts. He pushes Nico’s legs off the couch so he can sit down. He’s already helped himself to one of the numerous juice boxes in the fridge, carefully inserting the straw through the hole.

“And this is no way to treat your best friend,” Nico shoots back. His comebacks are lame right now because he hasn’t been getting his usual ten to eleven hours of sleep. Instead, he’s been woken up almost every morning by Jason inviting him over for breakfast or to go shopping or simply to check in. (And Nico always forgets to go to bed early.) Sometimes Nico wonders if Piper sends Jason over on purpose because he can get so overbearing.

“Well, I have good news,” Jason says. “I think you’ll like it.”

Nico groans. He never likes Jason’s news. And Piper isn’t here, so that means that it’s probably something about a potential bachelor looking for a date.

“I don’t care about your news. Go have lunch with my dad. Pop the question to Piper. Get a dog. Can’t you just call or text me like a normal person. I swear I haven’t texted you in a month just because you’re always around.” He tries to sound grumpy (and he is a bit), but almost nothing can break Jason’s optimism.

“I am having lunch with Hades on Friday, thanks for asking. And I’m still working on the perfect plans for proposing. Piper says no dog.” Here Jason does look a bit disappointed. Then he perks up. “But that’s not my news. My news is that my nephew is currently single and looking for a boyfriend.”

“Did he tell you that?” Nico asks just to humor Jason.

“No, but he is single. And he’s definitely gay. And he likes that Mythomagic game you play. And nerdy stuff like books and newspapers.” Nico huffs. He likes the convenience of reading, and he only gets the newspapers for the comics and crosswords. He doesn’t actually read the news.

“Well, I’m definitely not interested.” He pauses. “Also, I’m almost twenty-three. Way too old for a ten-year-old who’s excited to have his first boyfriend.”

Jason huffs. “Will’s not ten,” he says. “C’mon, I think you two would really hit it off.”

“Why’s that?” Nico asks. “And don’t say because he’s a nerd. There are different types of nerds, Jason. We’ve been over this.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “Well, he likes music. And he has a collection of those fun hand sanitizers. And he’s also a grump in the morning. Straight-A student.” Jason keeps talking, but Nico tunes him out. Jason must be getting desperate, he thinks, to be trying to set him up with his nephew. And while going on a date would be nice (free food and possibly a good bottle of wine), Nico’s not about to stoop to the level of dating a hopefully not ten-year-old nephew of Jason’s. He’s not a creep.

“I’m not lonely or in search of a boyfriend,” Nico says, interrupting Jason. “If I were, I’d have already found someone.” He likes to think that he’s capable of finding a man if he just does some searching. There are plenty of people in New York. He’s only dated about three of them.

“Ooh,” Jason says. Nico punches his shoulder. He’s definitely not going to be getting any sleep right now. Not until he can get rid of Jason. “Someone’s a bit touchy. Look, I can talk to Will, okay?”

“No, don’t talk to him,” Nico says. The last thing he wants is for Jason to get someone’s hopes up when Nico’s only going to crush them. “I’m not interested. I thought we agreed that we weren’t going to date each other’s relatives.”

Jason only shrugs. “That was, like, five years ago. Besides, I think Will’s worth breaking the rule.”

“Nope, not going to happen.” Nico shakes his head. He’s not going to date Jason’s nephew. Not only would he be related to Jason, it’d be something Jason would hold over his head for years.

“Do you really think I’d set you up with a ten-year-old?” Jason asks. Nico shrugs. Sometimes Jason gets pretty desperate. He once tried to set Nico up with a girl, just to get him on a date. It was still something Nico and Piper liked to tease Jason about. “My sister is way older than me. So Will and I are about the same age.”

Nico shakes his head. He admits that he feels very relieved that Jason’s not breaking any laws. But he’s still breaking sacred friendship rules. And Nico’s not desperate. Or lonely. Despite what anyone may think.

“I bet he’s basically a mini-you. And no way am I dating someone like you. No offense.”

“Fine, suit yourself,” Jason says. He winks at Nico. “But I think you’re really going to regret not taking up this offer right now. After all, isn’t blond hair and blue eyes your type?”

Nico rolls his eyes, using his feet to push Jason off of the couch. Jason must not have been paying attention as he sort of collapses at the foot of the couch, huffing.

“I can’t believe you just did that. After all I’ve done for you!” He tries to tug Nico down with him, but Nico’s got a firm hold on the couch, and he knows how to make himself heavier. Also, his love for his couch is strong, and not even Jason can make him part with it.

“Worry about your own relationship,” Nico whines. “I bet by the time you find the perfect ring, Piper will already be down on one knee.” He knows that Piper’s getting impatient waiting for Jason to pop the question. And while Piper believes that women can do anything men can do, she’s waiting for Jason to make the next move for some reason. Hopefully, Jason will get the hint, though, since Piper got impatient about five months ago.

“She’d better not. I’ve put a lot of hard work into this.” Jason lets go of Nico’s legs, crossing his arms. “Hey, want to help me shop for rings tomorrow?”

Nico shakes his head. “Your relationship. Your problems. You fix it.” He knows he’s being stubborn, but so is Jason. And he’s going to have to find some way to steal his key back. He’s considered getting another roommate, but Jason practically threw a fit. And Nico rather likes having the apartment to himself. (Part of the reason he’s not interested in finding a boyfriend so quickly.)

“Fine,” Jason huffs. “But we’re hanging out later this week, okay?” Nico gives him a thumbs up, sighing when he hears the front door lock. He waits a few moments before glancing around the room. Getting up, he sees Jason’s car exiting the parking lot.

Nico runs through a pro and con list of getting a boyfriend. On one hand, he’d get some free food, someone to stay up late with him, someone other than Jason and his sister to talk to. On the other, he’d also have to share food and share space and actually go places with people. But he’d also get Jason out of his hair. It’s almost a deal worth considering.  
-  
He’s hoping Jason’s dropped it by the time they meet up later. They’re at a bar because that was the compromise. Jason could pretend like they were looking for a man for Nico, and Nico could steadily get drunker and drunker as the night progressed. And he’d still have someone to take him home. (He hadn’t stolen Jason’s key yet.)

“So, no hot boyfriend yet?” Jason asks, winking. He’s nursing his second beer. Though Jason doesn’t really drink, he’s quite fun to get drunk. “I bet we could find you someone tonight.”

Nico shivers at the idea. He knows the kind of people to frequent this bar, and they’re definitely not his type. The only reason he comes to this bar is that it’s decently clean, and the people aren’t creeps. It’s also within walking distance of his place in case he loses count of how many drinks he’s had.

“Definitely not. These people are all way too old,” Nico says. He gets a few glances, but they shrug it off.

Jason sighs. “Too old, too young. C’mon, Nico. Live a little.”

Nico shakes his head. “Oh, no. Seriously, Jace. That guy over there looks to be forty or something.”

Jason shrugs. “One-night stand?”

Nico doesn’t even respond. He just finishes off his glass, signaling to the bartender that he wants another one. There’s a band playing up on the stage, some folk or bluegrass band by the sound of it. Nico doesn’t know too much about music to tell the difference, and in a few drinks, it’ll all sound the same.

“Maybe you should slow down,” Jason says. Nico shrugs. He’s only on his third beer, and they’ve been here for about an hour. Honestly, he’s disappointed that he isn’t drunk yet. He was hoping that tonight would be somewhat fun, but drinking with a helicopter friend never really was. He should have asked if Piper was free tonight. That way he could at least dance without having to leave space for Jesus or something. (Jason wasn’t even religious.)

“Why are we here again?” Nico asks. “I would have been just as happy at McDonald’s.”

“That place is bad for you,” Jason says. Nico gestures around to the bar. It’s not exactly the cleanest place, and nothing it sells is really all that good for you. “Okay, a few drinks are okay. But you’ve had McDonald’s twice this month already.”

“And I’ve been in this bar about four times this month,” Nico says.

“Exactly why you need a boyfriend,” Jason counters. Nico huffs. He’s tempted to drain his glass again, but he knows that’ll only prove Jason’s point. “You need someone to hang out with and go places. At this point, I kind of feel more like your mother dragging you out of bed and stuff.”

“Took you long enough to notice,” Nico says. He wishes that bars sold candy. He could really go for some Sour Patch Kids or some chocolate. But all they have is some greasy bar food and drinks. Maybe they should have gone to a nicer place.

He’s about to suggest such a thing when the door rattles as someone comes in. Nico pretends not to look (simply because Jason’s there), but he finds it hard not to. The guy is blond and blue-eyed and gorgeous. Even this far away, Nico can see miles of tanned skin and freckles.

Jason follows Nico’s eyes, confused for a moment. Then his face lights up with a grin. Nico knows he’s going to regret this in a minute.

“Nico, meet my nephew, Will.”

Before Nico can even be embarrassed that, yes, Jason’s nephew is totally hot and completely adorable, Will speaks. “I thought we agreed to drop the nephew part. I’m not ten!”

And then Nico bursts out laughing. Because he’s had a little too much to drink and Will’s super handsome and maybe Jason was right for once. Nico would do almost anything to get Will into his bed right now. But he’d also settle for kissing or hand-holding. Or going on a date or two.

“Um,” Will starts. “I never caught your name.”

“Nico,” Nico says, just a little too loud. (Later, he’s going to blame this on the beer.) “And you’re Will.”

“I am,” Will says, smiling. And Nico just about falls off his stool. Because if he dates Will, he’ll never have to go outside. He’ll have his own personal sunshine.

“You collect those scented hand sanitizers,” Nico adds. He can’t seem to close his mouth right now. He wishes he could. Will’s still smiling at him, though, and now Nico can see two dimples.

“Really, Jason? You told him that? I haven’t collected those things since I was twelve.” He pauses. “Besides, is it so wrong to want to smell nice?”

“You smell really nice,” Nico says. He slams his hand over his mouth now, groaning. “I have no filter. Just let me die in shame.”

Will laughs, and Nico really does feel like he’s dead now. Because Will has the laugh of an angel. “Thanks. You smell nice, too. Pomegranates.” Nico’s eyes widen for a moment. How would someone know what his shampoo smells like? “You’re not the only one Jason’s been talking to,” Will adds.

Nico nods. He figures that while he’s got no filter and has already embarrassed himself, he’ll just throw himself out on that proverbial limb right now. He removes his hand, managing to look Will in the eyes. “Would you like to go on a date maybe? I promise I’ll have a filter and not smell like beer.”

Will laughs. “I don’t mind if you’re like this. But I’ll definitely take you up on that offer.” Nico smiles, leaning into Will’s laugh.

“I knew you two would hit it off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have given me a prompt, I am working on it/will get to it :) thank you all for your patience and for the prompts :)
> 
> also, I'll be completing this work soon (as I'm running out of room in the table of contents thing), so if anyone has any suggestions for the title of the next collection of fics, I'm open to them. (I'm pretty bad at naming things sometimes.)
> 
> comments are appreciated :)


	19. full moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico falls in love with a wolf-boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: domestic abuse, implied/referenced beating and injury, implied/referenced depression, implied/referenced suicidal thoughts, mentions of violence, mentions of past deaths
> 
> please let me know if I need to tag anything else

He’s always liked the forest behind his boyfriend’s house. Bryce isn’t the best boyfriend in the world, but he has kept all of his promises to Nico: to clothe and feed and shelter him. To be there for him. And Nico’s kept his end of the deal: to stay loyal to Bryce. Something that’s becoming harder each day.

It used to be all fun and sweet love, back when Nico was just accepting his sexuality and recovering from the deaths of his mother and sister. (He never knew his father, some deadbeat who left when Nico was born.) Bryce had come into the cafe where Nico was working and ordered a coffee. And Nico, taking his chances, had written his number onto the cup like some lovesick schoolgirl.

Of all the things Nico wishes he could take back, he’d take back that moment. It’s selfish and it’s harsh, but so is Bryce’s love. Or whatever he feels for Nico. Because Nico’s sure that the love faded out long ago. Whatever love there had been. Maybe Bryce taking Nico in had been more of a charity case than anything close to actual love. Maybe Bryce just needed someone to help pay rent.

That had been three years ago, and it had been heaven compared to this.

They lived on their own in a run-down house at the edge of town. A thick forest surrounded the area, stretching as far as Nico could see for miles. There was one road that led to civilization, and Nico had only met the neighbors once when he had locked himself out. There was an empty lot between them, so their paths hardly ever crossed. And sometimes Nico was grateful for this. Because it meant that no one could hear him sobbing on the nights that Bryce was drunk and screaming on the nights where Bryce had just enough energy to hate Nico with every muscle he had.

But it also meant that Nico was alone. And that’s why he stayed with Bryce. Because they were both alone in this world. And if they didn’t have each other, they didn’t have anyone. Nico wasn’t sure which was more lonely.

Bryce was currently at work. He had odd hours that kept Nico guessing when he was going to be home, and it set him on edge. He wasn’t the kind of guy who needed routine, but he did need some kind of predictability. He needed to know that Bryce would be home at six-thirty so that he could start dinner at six. He needed to know that Bryce always liked his coffee black so that he wouldn’t get a beating for not adding sugar or cream one morning.

He needs to know so that maybe he could re-enroll in school and get out of here. Because one is the loneliest number, and Bryce never felt like company.

Today’s Nico’s nursing a bruised tailbone and a few minor cuts on his arms. He hugs his arms around himself, walking straight out of the house and towards the forest. He’s never been too far in, always a little afraid that either Bryce would think that he was running away or that he would get lost. He isn’t sure which is worse.

He’s drawn this forest a thousand times in his head, shades of green that don’t have names and shapes of leaves that are so wild only someone totally mad or completely divine being could have created them. He’s always wanted to put out a bird feeder so that he could watch the birds swoop in, but Bryce wasn’t willing to spend money on it. Nico had also wanted a garden, but that fell into the same boat. Luxurious and unnecessary.

Some days Nico thought that he was starting to fall into that category. He wonders how long it’ll be before Bryce gets rid of him.

He has a stick so that he can catch himself when he trips over roots. It’s just the beginning of winter, though winter seems to have come early this year. So Nico’s wearing a thin sweater, trying to stay warm as he tromps through the twisted roots and fallen leaves. He wishes he could be quieter. He’s not afraid of attracting wolves or coyotes that are rumored to live in the forest. He’s worried about being followed.

When he turns around, Nico stops to catch his breath. The forest is quiet around him, breathing with him, it seems. He can’t see Bryce’s house, and he can only guess at the way he came in. He thinks he should be more concerned, but somehow he’s never felt freer. Dropping his stick, he dashes through the bare trees, ducking under their branches. He catches his cheek on an outstretched limb, barely feeling the sting as he continues.

He’s never felt this free before, never this childish. (Though he always feels like a child when Bryce is around.) He lets out a laugh, smiling for the first time in ages. His breath is pulling at his throat, raw from the cold. His cheeks are cold to the touch, and his fingers are stiff. He wonders if he’ll get frostbite. He also wonders if Bryce cares enough about him to look for him. Probably not, he decides.

He feels ashamed of the answer, the freedom of the forest suddenly constricting. He looks around, but he can’t figure out which way he came. The trampled leaves leave no trace of footprints, and the grey sky looks the same in all directions. Nico hugs his arms around himself again, deciding to choose a direction. Worst case scenario: he’ll die in this forest.

He takes a few steps before stopping, wondering if he really wants to go back. He thinks it’s the cold getting to him, making him think crazy thoughts. Of course, he wants to go back. No matter how violent Bryce gets, Bryce is all he has. You can’t always choose the people who love you. (If what’s between them is even love.)

Nico’s about to take another step when he hears leaves crunch under a foot that isn’t his. His gaze jerks to the side, and he sees a blond boy. No, a wolf. He shakes his head, thinking that the cold must really be getting to him. A boy is not a wolf. Werewolves don’t exist. Not in these parts. He blinks again. Definitely a wolf. It’s pure white with dull, blue eyes that seem to glimmer between the trees.

Nico tries to take a step away, but he finds himself frozen. His teeth are chattering, and the cold is seeping through the holes that Bryce tore just a few days ago through Nico’s sweater. Nico wants to cry, but he hasn’t cried in ages. And he doesn’t think he can bring himself to. (The last time he cried, Bryce had given him something to cry about. But then Nico shed no tears.)

The wolf takes a step closer to Nico, its movements smooth and unrelenting. Nico thinks he should be more afraid. Did wolves go for the throat? Or did they just attack wherever? Didn’t wolves travel in packs? Nico wants to glance around, to see where the other wolves are hiding, but he can’t take his eyes off of this wolf stalking towards him.

His legs give out, either from the cold or from standing so still. He collapses somewhat gracefully into a bed of fallen leaves. All he can do is watch the wolf come closer. He can’t even cry out or try to move. The wolf stops just inches away from Nico. Nico can smell wet bark and something strange like cinnamon in the air. Can wolves smell like cinnamon?

Nico closes his eyes as the wolf moves closer still. Instead of the prick of teeth, the sharp reality of pain, Nico feels coarse fur along his hands. The wolf is curling around him, and now Nico can see that this wolf is probably bigger than actual wolves. That or people are right when they say that the camera slims things down.

Hesitantly, against all instinct, Nico reaches out to pat the wolf’s head. There’s a low growl, but the wolf doesn’t move. Nico scratches behind the ears like the wolf is a dog instead of a wild creature. It could be his imagination, but he thinks the wolf moves closer. It lays its head on Nico’s knee.

“Are you going to eat me?” Nico asks softly. His voice is rough from disuse. He hardly ever needs to use it. Bryce takes what he wants without asking. Permission was something granted the day Nico moved in. “Or maybe lure me in somehow? What do you want?”

The wolf doesn’t answer, and Nico would honestly be freaked out if it did. Instead, it nudges Nico’s hands, placing its head over them. There’s warmth seeping through the fur, and Nico’s grateful. Even if the wolf is just going to eat him or kill him or leave him to die. Dogs are a man’s best friend, and they descended from wolves, right? Nico almost wishes he could bring his wolf home.

The quiet comfort of this stranger interaction is broken when there’s a shout. “Will!” comes a male voice. The wolf blinks, standing up. Then it’s not a wolf, it’s a boy. Nico blinks, thinking that maybe he’s passed out or gotten a concussion. He had hit his head pretty hard last night.

“Come with me,” the boy says. He reaches out his hand, and Nico’s startled by how real it looks. “We’ve got hot chocolate and blankets,” the boy offers. He tugs Nico up, pulling a jacket over Nico’s shoulders. Nico has no idea where they’re going, but it’s not Bryce’s house. So he goes along.  
-  
Will keeps his eye on the boy. He’s not quite sure what he’s feeling. Something in his gut says that he should stay away from this boy, but there’s a warmth in his chest whenever he looks into those large, brown eyes. Also, this boy saw his secret. Which would mean instant death. And Will’s not about to let this boy die without figuring out what this warmth means.

The boy doesn’t speak as they make their way through the forest. Will follows the scents his family has left, smiling a little at the familiarity. He’s grown up in between these trees. He used to play tag and hide-and-go-seek with his brothers and sister. This is where he learned to hunt, to change, to recognize the scents of their small pack. This is where Will feels most alive.

“Right through here,” Will says when they come up to his small house. “Oh, and don’t mention the wolf thing, please,” he adds.

“Why not?” the boy asks. His voice is soft and smooth and beautiful.

“Pack rules,” Will says. “To break one means exile or execution.” The boy shudders, but he doesn’t look afraid. Will wonders what kind of life he has that makes execution seem like a better option.

“No mentioning the wolf thing,” the boy says. “But will you explain later?” He looks up at Will with those big eyes. Will finds himself nodding.

“Just let me do the talking, okay?” The boy nods. They go inside. Will’s assaulted with the scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, and he smiles. Even as a human, his sense of smell is better than the average human’s. He keeps the boy behind him while he decides what to say.

“Hey, Mama,” Will says. His mom turns around, flour coating her shirt. She’s got her hair twisted up which means a whole morning of baking. Will can’t wait. “Is there milk for hot chocolate? I found this boy in the forest, and he’s pretty cold.”

His mom gives him a slow look before turning her eyes to the boy beside Will. “I don’t like secrets, William.” Will tenses for a moment, afraid that she’s about to exile her own son. Then her face softens. “I’ll warm the milk. Get him some warm clothes.”

Will relaxes. He knows his mom will keep his secret. He leads the boy up to his room, glad for once that he decided to clean it. The boy stands in the middle of the room while Will shuffles through his sweaters. He’s got one for every day of the week plus some. When you live half of your life in wolf’s fur, you tend to favor warm clothes.

“Blue or pink?” Will asks. He holds up the sweaters. The boy shrugs. Will decides on the pink one, handing it to him. The boy stands there, holding the sweater before slowly removing his shirt. Will’s eyes glance over the scrapes and bruises on the boy’s skin.

“Let me help you,” he says. He rushes to grab his first-aid kit. He leads the boy over to his bathroom, instructing him to sit on the toilet. The boy does, letting Will have his way. He cleans up the cuts, applying bandages to them. He can’t do anything for the bruises. “How did you get hurt?”

“I’m clumsy,” the boy says.

“Nice to meet you, Clumsy.” When the boy smiles, Will feels that warmth in his chest again. Will can’t get enough of it.

“It’s Nico, actually,” the boy says.

“Will.” Nico nods, pulling Will’s sweater over his head. Will thinks Nico looks adorable in his sweater, and that warmth flares up again. Nico smells like stale smoke and pomegranates. Will doesn’t think the smoke smell belongs to him.

“You don’t have to be nice to me,” Nico says after a moment of silence. “I’m good at keeping secrets. I can just go back home and pretend like this never happened.”

Will feels a prick of hurt at this suggestion. He can’t imagine seeing Nico again. He’s only just met him, but he wants to know so many things. What’s Nico’s favorite color? His favorite song? What’s his shampoo smell like? Why was he alone in the forest?

Will forces a smile onto his face. “Nonsense. We’re neighbors. And we’re friends now.” Nico’s smile comes creeping back.

“Will!” Mama calls. Will grabs Nico’s hand, not quite ignoring the rush it gives him. Nico’s cheeks are pink. His mom has two mugs of hot chocolate set out, a cinnamon roll waiting on the saucer. “Fresh from the oven. Perfect for a cold day.”

Nico seems hesitant to touch his food until Will’s pretty much eaten the whole roll. Then Nico slowly picks his apart, glancing at Will as he puts a bite into his mouth.

“You’re not allergic to anything, right?” Will asks. Nico shakes his head. Will smiles. He’s not sure what it is about this boy that’s so intoxicating. He smells like sadness and loneliness, and Will wants to make him smile so big it gets stuck on his face.

“Your father and sister should be home after lunch,” Mama says. Will nods. That means he has to get Nico out of the house by then. He knows his father will notice Nico’s scent and ask about it, and Will’s not yet prepared to answer. “And don’t forget about your schoolwork, too.”

Will nods. He’s turning eighteen soon which means graduation and initiation. His high school diploma is important to him so he can maybe get into med school, but the pack comes first. Because of that, he’s homeschooled by his mom and dad. Homeschooled in biology as well as pack rituals and laws.

While his dad doesn’t see school in his future, Will isn’t sure he can patrol the forest for the rest of his life. But his brothers had secret ambitions, and it killed them. Will’s next in line for his fate.

“Let me walk you home,” Will says when Nico’s finished licking his fingers. The cinnamon now covers the stale smoke smell, and Will couldn’t be happier.

“You don’t have to,” Nico says when they step outside. “I’m capable of walking home myself.” He takes a step, and Will takes a step with him. He’s not sure what it is. But he doubts that Nico’s clumsy. He moves with the halted grace that says he’s conscious of every step he takes, every intake of breath. He’s also feeling suddenly possessive and protective over Nico, though he hardly knows the boy.

Nico takes another step, and Will follows him. He feels a little bad that Nico doesn’t put up a fight. He doesn’t want to fight, but he wants to know he’s important enough to disagree with. He sees Nico’s house, a small run-down place. It doesn’t seem cozy at all, and Will wants to whisk Nico back to his house.

“Will you be okay?” Will asks. Nico gives him a strange look.

“I’ll be okay,” Nico says. Will wants to hold his hand or kiss him or hold him in his arms and never let go. But he doesn’t. He watches Nico walk into the house and close the door.  
-  
Nico’s not sure how it happens. The next night he met Will, he was called by the howling he used to fall asleep to. The second, it was those blue eyes. The third, the warmth of Will’s hands. The fourth, Nico couldn’t seem to get enough. And now it’s been two weeks of hiding both from Will’s father and Bryce. He has worked up the courage to ask Bryce every morning when he’ll be back, and then he makes sure to be back an hour before that.

He hid Will’s sweater in his bag with Mama and Bianca’s things, knowing that it was the only thing Bryce never dared touch. He thought about giving it back to Will, but then maybe all of it would disappear. Maybe Will would lose interest, maybe he’d say this was all a game, maybe Nico was imagining the whole thing. So he kept it. Also, because it smelled of cinnamon and wet bark, like Will.

Bryce never asked what Nico did during the day. He just assumed that Nico went for walks or did the mail, sat around all day, cooked meals. He thought Nico was lazy and lonely and stupid. Nico was never so glad to be underestimated.

He waits half an hour after Bryce leaves before he walks to Will’s house. They huddle up in Will’s room or hang out in the forest. Sometimes Will’s mom was home, and she’d bake something for them. Will did his best to explain how the wolf thing worked, but Nico was still a bit confused. They weren’t werewolves, Will said. He despised the term. They were wolves sometimes, humans other times. And they could control it.

“Does it hurt?” Nico asks now. Will purses his lips, shrugging.

“A bit. Our skeleton rearranges and whatnot, but we’re used to it now. The first few times, though, I cried like a baby.” There were scars on Will’s body from the shifting, from times when it went wrong and from all the times it went right. Will never directly asked about the scars on Nico’s body, but Nico knew he didn’t buy the lies.

“If you could go on any date, what would it be?” Will asks suddenly. They’re in his bedroom, curled up on Will’s bed. Nico thinks Will has the softest blankets and pillows ever, and he could lie here all day. It also helps that Will’s like a furnace, his fingertips tracing Nico’s veins.

“I don’t know,” Nico says. He hasn’t been on many dates. Bryce wasn’t ever one for treating Nico. He considered letting Nico live with him the greatest gift ever. It was up to Nico to do nice things for Bryce, he said. To make the relationship equal.

“But you have a boyfriend,” Will says slowly. Nico shrugs. Saying it aloud the other day, it had felt wrong. Bryce hadn’t been his boyfriend in ages, not since he started hitting Nico, knocking him around, taking whatever he wanted without asking.

“He’s more like a roommate,” Nico says, though that doesn’t fit Bryce either. Bryce was a tyrant, a devil, a drunk. But Nico didn’t dare say that out loud. He could see the protectiveness in Will’s eyes every time Will walked him back home. He always had to stop Will from following him inside. He wonders if that’s a Will thing or a wolf thing.

“So, you’re single,” Will says. Nico shrugs again. He thinks, to be single, he’d have to belong to himself. And he doesn’t. He belongs to Bryce, has ever since he gave Bryce his number. He feels a little sick all of a sudden, and he leans absently into Will’s chest.

“Why do you care?” Nico asks. No one has ever paid this much attention to Nico. Not even the clerk at the grocery store when Nico dropped that can of mixed fruit that burst open all over the floor. He’d merely looked at Nico and sighed. Even Bryce didn’t pay this much attention to Nico when he was throwing punches. Nico was pretty sure Bryce didn’t hate him so much as the thought of him.

“I care,” Will says softly, “because if you were his boyfriend, I couldn’t do this.” He leans down, his lips pressing so softly against Nico’s. It’s a question and a command all in one, and Nico pushes back. He’s never been kissed like this before, something so gentle yet possessive. Will’s hands come up to cup his cheeks, and he lets him. He doesn’t realize he’s crying until Will pulls back, handing him a tissue.

“I’m sorry,” Nico mumbles. Will shakes his head, his blue eyes bright.

“No, I’m sorry. I should have asked first,” he says. He takes a deep breath. “It’s okay if you want to leave. If you want to leave and not come back,” Will adds.

“Why would I want to do that?” Nico asks. His heart is beating so quickly, and for once, he’s not thinking of what would happen is Bryce found out. He’s only thinking about Will, his lips, his smile, his apology. He wipes his eyes, pressing his face into Will’s neck. He breathes in, the smell comforting and grounding. “If anything, I want to kiss you again,” he mumbles.

He feels Will giggle more than hears it. And then Will is cupping his face again, leaning forward. Nico surges forward, his lips meeting Will’s. He rolls himself on top of Will, running his fingers through Will’s hair. He doesn’t think he’s ever felt this way before, so wholly intoxicated by someone. It never felt like this with Bryce. Bryce felt like an obligation. Will feels like a promise.

“You never answered,” Will says, pulling back. “About the date.”

Nico blinks before laughing. “I want you to show me your world,” he whispers.  
-  
Will’s pretty sure that if his father saw them, he’d be exiled immediately. But he pushes that thought to the back of his mind. Because, right now, Nico’s looking at him with that breathtaking smile, and it’s all Will can do to resist licking Nico’s cheek.

He pads through the trees, Nico following beside him. At first, he’d been unsure of shifting in front of Nico. He knew it wasn’t the prettiest thing to watch, his bones cracking and snapping, his body morphing. But Nico hadn’t looked away once, not even when Will had whimpered. And then he’d kissed Will’s head, running his hands over Will’s fur. No one had ever petted Will before, not even his parents. But it felt so good, especially after shifting.

They can’t talk when Will’s a wolf. Communication works differently, every sense heightened. But his vocal cords were different now. He could howl and whine and bark and growl. He’d given Nico a crash course on the sounds so that Nico wouldn’t be startled.

It’d always felt strange to be out in these trees without his brothers just ahead of him. Now, he was almost the alpha, the head. Now, everyone would follow behind him. But Nico walked beside him, hand trailing lightly down Will’s back. They walk in silence, Will showing Nico the trees where he used to play, the place he’d first shifted, the emergency shed in the back in case something bad happened. He took Nico to the place Lee had been found dead, though he doubted Nico could understand what he was trying to communicate.

“Spring is my favorite season,” Nico says out of the blue. “With the fresh colors and the warm smells.” He pauses. “My sister’s favorite season was summer, and I never understood that. Too hot and plain.” He’s not quite smiling. He’s never talked about his sister before, though Will understands that she’s not in his life.

Nico falls silent, scratching his arm. His scratches have healed up, though Will feels like he’s just waiting for the next ones to appear. Nico hardly ever talks about his roommate/boyfriend, but when he does, his voice is laced with bitterness and hurt.

“Can we go back home?” Nico asks. Will gets that warm feeling inside. “It’s cold, and not all of us have built-in winter jackets.”

Will smiles, shifting right there. He slings his coat over Nico’s shoulders, kissing his cheek. “Winter was my brother’s favorite month,” he says as they walk back. “For some reason, he loved the cold, the snow, the crunchy leaves.”

Nico nods. “The snow is okay. Snowball fights can be fun.” Will nods. He and his brothers used to have crazy snowball fights.

They head back to Will’s house, finding some cookies waiting for them. Will pops three Into his mouth by the time Nico’s finished one. He’s about to take another when he curses. “I have to get home now,” he says. His eyes are wide with fear, and Will doesn’t question him. They go the back way, and Will feels something twist uncomfortably in his stomach. He knows how relationships work. Whether romantic or just friendly, fear was never good.

“You could stay at my house,” Will says as they run. Nico shakes his head, and Will feels another prick of hurt. “You could live there. I’ve been working on how to tell my dad. You could become a part of the pack.” He’s rambling now, afraid to lose Nico to whatever darkness is waiting inside that house. He’s worked so hard for those smiles, those kisses, he’s not going to let them slip away.

“I can’t, Will,” Nico says. And then he slips inside. Will pretends Nico’s only going inside to collect his things, that he’ll come back out and rush into Will’s arms. When he doesn’t, Will shifts, running back to his house.

His dad is waiting for him. “Your mom tells me you’ve been seeing a boy,” he says. He glances up at his dad. He’s sure his dad knows more than he’s letting on, even if his mom didn’t tell him. “Are you going to introduce him to us?”

“It’s not like that, Dad,” Will says. His body aches from shifting so much today. “He’s got a boyfriend or a roommate or whatever.” Will shrugs, wincing as his shoulder pops. His dad hands him a mug of apple cider.

“Is he your mate, Will?” Will shrugs again. Would it matter if Nico were his mate? Would that get Nico to stop going back to that devil of a man? “You know the laws. You’re going be the alpha.” Will nods. It always seemed so far away, but now it seems like it’s just around the corner.

“I think so,” Will says after a minute. “It’s not that he makes me feel whole or anything, but he makes me feel like I’m home.” He knows how cheesy it sounds. Especially because he has a wonderful home already. But Nico feels like something both akin and different than that. Something deeper, like it’s hardwired into Will’s brain.

“I know just how you feel,” his dad says. Will smiles. He and his siblings all know how his mom and dad met on a full moon night, their howls chasing each other through the trees. His dad liked to joke that it was love at first howl. “I know he’s a human, Will, but he’s your mate. The laws allow for that.”

“What if he doesn’t come back?” Will asks. He thinks of Nico in that dark house. Alone or with his brute of a boyfriend.

“Then you go to him, Will. Just because something is meant to be doesn’t make it easier.” Will looks through the trees, pretending he can see Nico running towards him.  
-  
Nico wakes up on the floor. He’s used to the familiar ache that always accompanies a beating. And he kind of deserved it this time, he supposes. Rule one of having a boyfriend: don’t cheat. Even though he’s sure Bryce has been cheating on him for years. While Bryce may leave hickeys on Nico’s skin, he’s never left one on Bryce’s.

Nico sits up slowly. He’s woken up like this for the last three mornings. He can hear Bryce throwing stuff around as he gets ready for work. Nico’s not quite sure what Bryce does, other than that he makes enough for both of them to live somewhat comfortably. While he complains that Nico doesn’t pull his weight around the house, he’s also too proud to let Nico help in any financial way.

He lets out a slow breath when he hears the front door slam. He’s in the hallway which means that Bryce must have stepped over him while he was getting ready. He didn’t even check on Nico. Nico assesses his injuries, cleaning out his scrapes, wincing as he runs the washcloth over the bruises. All he really wants right now is to be in Will’s arms. He wants to cry.

But he can’t do either. He was Bryce’s boyfriend first, and Will deserves so much more than Nico can give him. So he pulls on one of Bryce’s shirts and some pants. He starts cleaning up the house. There’s a broken lamp in the living room. There’s a hole in the wall by the front door. One of the cabinet doors is hanging from the hinges. Nico doesn’t even remember what happened after the fifth punch.

He just remembers the yelling, the anger, the smell of smoke. (Bryce always smoked after work, said it helped take the edge off.) He must not have been enough, even for Bryce. He had to take it out on the house. Nico sighs as he sweeps up the shattered glass, the smashed in lampshade. The dishes are piled up, and the trash needs to be taken out. Nico hasn’t been thinking about the household chores, not since he’s been sneaking off to Will’s house.

Nico’s heart skips a beat. He hopes that Will’s okay. He knows that he’s probably been distracting Will from his studies, from getting ready for his initiation. At least this way, he won’t have to hide Nico from his father. Not that any of that makes Nico feel better. Because even if he had to hide, he knew that Will wasn’t ashamed of him. He was just protecting him.

Bryce, on the other hand, was trying to get rid of Nico, make him disappear. Nico’s eyes sting, and he grabs the closest thing, throwing it across the room. The magazine hits one of the dishes, knocking them into the sink. His eyes are still stinging, but he can’t seem to make himself cry. He’s stopped himself enough times that he has to think about crying now.

Just another sign of how broken he is. He can’t even cry. He throws a few more things, frustrated now that he just has more to clean up. He doesn’t want to clean any of this up, though he knows Bryce will be furious if he comes back to a messy house, a mess he’ll blame on Nico. But maybe Nico’s done with Bryce’s tough love and punches.

Without another thought, Nico drops the broom, grabbing his sister’s old backpack with all of his important stuff in it. He throws on Will’s sweater and rushes outside. He doesn’t stop to think what Bryce will do if he catches Nico, if Will will be mad at him for just ignoring him. He just runs, the cold air whistling in his ears. He knocks on the back door.

“Will’s not here,” comes a deep voice. Nico startles, looking up at who he assumes is Will’s dad. “Haven’t seen him all morning, actually. Come in.”

Nico does as he’s told, wondering if this is the day he dies. But Will’s dad doesn’t look mad or scary. In fact, he looks like an older Will. His hair is shorter, a little darker than Will’s, and his eyes are more hazel than blue. But he could be Will in thirty years.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Nico starts. The man cuts him off.

“I know what you are. Or, rather, what you aren’t. But I’m willing to look past that if you’re willing to keep our secret.” Nico’s not sure what to say. At this moment, he kind of feels like dying. (Maybe not by wolf, though.) “I know the trust Will has in you.”

Nico nods. “Yes, sir,” he says. “Do you know when Will will be back?”

The man purses his lips. “I don’t know,” he says. “He’s been patrolling longer since you stopped coming around.” The man gets up, patting Nico’s leg. “There are cookies in the kitchen if you want any. You’re welcome to wait for Will here.”

Nico heads upstairs to Will’s room. He just wants to say goodbye. He’s not sure where he’s going to go, but he knows he’s got to leave. He’s got to be far enough away by the time Bryce gets back that Bryce won’t be able to hunt him down.

Will’s room is a bit of a mess. Clothes and books are everywhere. A calendar is hanging over Will’s desk. Tomorrow’s date is circled in red sharpie, a full moon. Will’s initiation. Nico takes a deep breath, inhaling every good memory he’s ever had with Will (every memory), wanting to keep them all. Since he’s already being selfish, he puts Will’s sweater over his head, climbing into Will’s bed. He’ll wait for him here. Then he’ll kiss Will on the cheek and leave.

Nico must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knows is Will shaking him awake. “Nico?” Will’s voice sounds so careful and quiet. Nico opens his eyes, expecting it to still be light outside. “Nico, what’s wrong?”

And then Nico’s crying again, twice since meeting Will. He fists Will’s sweater in his hands, clinging to Will. He should have known coming to say goodbye was a mistake. He should have known that he’d never be able to leave once he saw Will’s face. Will smells like the winter night, something mournful and heavy.

“I didn’t think you’d come back,” Will says. “I was trying to give you space. Let you have time to think. But it hurt so much every time you didn’t appear.” He’s kissing Nico’s hair now, kissing his cheeks, his tears. “I thought, maybe, that you’d been too hurt or that you’d run away.”

Nico shakes his head. He’s always been hurt, never allowed to heal. Except for when he’s with Will. “I’m here,” he whispers. Will nods.

“I know, Nico. I’ve got you.” He pulls Nico to his chest, wiping Nico’s face with a tissue. “He hurt you, didn’t he?” It’s a question, but Nico doesn’t need to answer. Will’s expression hardens for a moment before it softens again.

“Can I stay here?” Nico asks. “At least until I figure out what to do next?”

Will smiles at this. “You can live here if you want. We’ve got a spare bedroom. Or you can sleep in my bed.” Nico can hear Will practically purring at the last suggestion. He’s starting to calm down now that he’s in Will’s arms.

“What about Bryce? He knows about you, that we kissed.” Will nods.

“I won’t let him touch you again,” he growls. He holds Nico protectively, possessively. But also gently and carefully. Like Nico’s something treasured. “If he so much as shows his face, he’ll be sorry.”

Nico nods. He’s done worrying about Bryce. Bryce gives him nothing but anxiety and paranoia. But Will gives him comfort, a shoulder to cry on, yummy food. Will makes him feel lovable and loved.

“Will?” Nico asks. “Will you be my boyfriend?”

And Nico almost laughs at how happy Will looks as he surges forward to kiss Nico right on the lips.

“Yes, of course. God, Nico. Yes.” And now Nico does giggle as Will peppers his face with butterfly kisses. “Nico, will you be my mate?”

Nico doesn’t even hesitate before he says yes.  
-  
Will’s stomach is in knots. He knows the initiation process by heart, knows everything that happens, when it happens, why it happens. But it’s never been him in the middle of the circle. It’s never been all eyes on him. They’re all surrounding him: Mama, Dad, his sister, Nico. Even his brothers, he thinks, are here in spirit.

Dad had given Nico a heavy winter jacket as a welcoming gift to the family. Nico wore it now as he sat beside the wolves. He probably couldn’t understand anything that was happening, but it was special that he was there. Whenever Will got nervous he’d mess something up, he could just look around the circle at his loving family.

Words are said and heirlooms passed. And then it’s Will’s turn to howl first. Something his dad has always done. Or one of his brothers before they passed. But now it’s him. Because he’s the alpha, the leader of the pack. And howling now will signal that he accepts the responsibility of the pack.

He glances around the circle, meeting everyone’s eyes. Then he lifts his head to the full moon and howls. His dad joins in next and then his sister and his mom. And then he hears a new voice, Nico’s voice in the mix. It’s quiet and shy, but it’s strong.

After the initiation, he and Nico crash in his bed, a tangle of limbs and the scent of trees. Will’s exhausted, but that doesn’t keep him and Nico from kissing until sunrise. His mom prepares a celebratory breakfast, and it’s only a little sad that his brothers aren’t there with him. But he’s still got his mom and his dad and his sister. And now he’s also got Nico. Nico who makes him feel warm even in the dead of winter.

They move Nico into the spare bedroom officially, though everyone knows that he sleeps in Will’s room. They fall into a routine, which side of the bed they sleep on, who wakes up first, who’s the big spoon. Will doesn’t think he’s ever been so happy. And one day he hears Nico singing in the shower, and he almost trips down the stairs he smiles so big.

Of course, it can’t last. Few things are ever completely perfect. So, of course, Bryce has to show up a week after Will’s initiation. His dad answers the door, and Will sees Nico tense up, his breakfast now long forgotten. Will’s dad glances back into the kitchen. Will kisses Nico’s cheek, standing up.

He’s not prepared for the first punch, but he’s ready for the second one. Bryce is strong, and he’s sober. And he’s bigger than Will in many ways. But Will can sense his fear, his uncertainty, his anger. So he merely pins Bryce down, growling low in his throat.

“Don’t you dare show your face here ever again,” he spits. Will’s shaking, but he’s still got the upper hand. His jaw is starting to ache, but he’s got to take care of Nico first. Nico, who he knows is standing on the porch right now. He can hear Nico walk down the stairs, surprised when Nico gently tugs Will off of Bryce.

“Get out of my life,” Nico says, so calm and smooth that it’s dangerous. Bryce must sense this, too, as he nods and stumbles away. Nico lets himself be carried inside and wrapped in a blanket. Will doesn’t talk, just holds Nico until they both stop shaking.

“I thought- maybe,” Nico starts. Will nods. He’s so angry he could have shifted right there and killed him. But he didn’t.  
“Me, too,” Will whispers. Nico presses his cold nose against Will’s neck. “Are you okay?”

Nico takes a moment before he nods. “I stopped loving him a long time ago. I just never had the courage to walk away.” He reaches up, kissing Will’s jaw. He scratches where Will’s wolf ears would be if he shifted now. Will’s not sure how Nico found all of his sensitive spots so quickly.

“So, your turn,” Nico says smiling. “If you could go on any date, what would it be?”


	20. falling apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico and Will were childhood best friends. Until a boyfriend tears them apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: implied/referenced emotional abuse, implied/referenced suicide, implied/referenced depression, mentions of social anxiety, mention of biphobia
> 
> please let me know if anything needs to be tagged
> 
> this is part one of a fic - part two is the next chapter (it just got really long, so I divided it)

Nico’s not sure how it all ended up like this, but maybe it’s for the better.

He remembers how it started, though. One winter afternoon in kindergarten. His mom had been later to pick him up at school, and so Nico had been quietly sitting on the steps by the car-rider line. There were only three kids left and one bored teacher. Him, a girl, and another boy. The girl was carefully braiding her hair, eyes trained on the empty parking lot. The boy had his hands stuffed in his armpits, his neck hunched down into his bright green jacket. He looked cold.

“Do you want my mittens?” Nico asks. He’s surprised at himself for asking. He almost never talks to strangers unless his sister or parents are there. Stranger danger was a concept bored into him by teachers since he was old enough to understand the idea.

“You’ll be cold then,” the boy says. His teeth chatter when he’s not speaking, and his face is a little red with the cold.

“You’ve got spots on your face,” Nico says. No one in his family has spots on their face. His mom has a mole on her arm, but it looks different from this boy’s spots. He likes these spots.

“They’re freckles,” the boy says. “Everyone in my family has them.” He grins at this, holding out his hand. The minute Nico shakes his hand, he’s already shoving his mittens onto them. They’re black with a cartoon cat’s face on them, a gift from his older sister.

“I’m Nico,” Nico says. The boy nods.

“I’m Will.” He pauses. “Are we friends now?” Nico blinks. He doesn’t have any friends, though that’s mostly because friendship requires him to talk to people as his mom says.

“Yeah,” Nico says. “Friends. Best friends.” Will grins at this. He takes Nico’s hands in his, and Nico frowns in confusion.

“Your hands will get cold,” Will says by way of explanation. Nico doesn’t protest. Will’s hands are much warmer now, and he likes the feeling of Will’s hands in his. He gives Will a smile, not sure what to say next. Is he supposed to invite Will to his house? Bianca has friends over all the time. He’s about to ask when his mom pulls up, and all Nico can manage is a small wave.

“Where are your mittens?” Mama asks. Nico points at Will who is waving back. He expects his mom to get angry or upset, but she only smiles. “I’m glad to see you making friends.” Nico smiles back. If this is what making friends feels like, he wants a lot of friends.  
-  
As life would turn out, Nico doesn’t make a lot of friends. It’s not that he makes enemies, but Will more than makes up for any other friend Nico could ever make. After shaking on their best friendship, they seemed to become glued at the hip. They became some sort of package deal, the kind where if you invited Will anywhere, Nico was sure to make an appearance, too. (Because it was always Will who was invited places, though that never bothered Nico much.)

They played in the creek behind Will’s house, built a treehouse, rode bikes. Will taught Nico to drive, and Nico taught Will how to cook something that didn’t come from a box. They had sleepovers and movie marathons and left their things at each other’s houses. Nico had other friends, but he never needed anything more than Will. Until the day he didn’t think he could even look Will in the eyes.

If Nico had to trace back to the moment it all started, he’d start in high school.

High school wasn’t that much different from middle school. The main difference was that Nico was officially out of the closet. That and everywhere Nico looked, there were cute boys. He remembers when he first told Will that he thought he was gay, how he already knew that Will was bi. They’d been sitting on Will’s bed, playing video games and eating popcorn, when Nico just blurted it out.

Will had paused the game, looking at Nico. “I think I am, at least,” Nico had amended. “I’m not sure how to know for sure, though. It's not like I’ve ever kissed a boy. Or a girl.” He’d thought about it a lot, though, kissing boys. He would fall asleep, imagining how their lips would feel against his, how he could trace their muscles over their shirts. With girls, his imagination always left him wanting something more. But with boys, he could go on for hours.

“Do you want to kiss a boy?” Will asked. He shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Nico shrugged. He knew Will didn’t have much experience with this either. Neither of them had kissed someone before. Neither of them had really wanted to. But Nico needed to know for sure. Because high school was when people got their lives figured out, right?

“Maybe. Definitely more than I want to kiss girls.” Will nodded slowly. Nico liked this about him. Will didn’t rush into things like Nico did. He took his time, thought things out. (Sometimes overthought things out.) He planned and decided. Nico just did. “Would I know if I kissed a boy?”

Will shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said softly. “I don’t think you need to know right this second though. It’s okay if you’re still figuring things out.”

Nico had huffed, impatient. He didn’t want to figure things out. He wanted the answer now. “Can I kiss you?” he’d asked. He remembers how Will’s cheeks had turned pink. He remembers thinking - just for a moment - that Will looked cute.

“Um, sure,” Will had said. Nico had made the first move, climbing almost into Will’s lap and pressing their lips together. Will had made some weird sound between a gasp and whimper. Nico adjusted his technique. (He’d watched a few tutorials on how to kiss so he wouldn’t seem like an idiot the first time.) He pulled away just as Will’s hands were settling on his shoulders. His first kiss had tasted like microwave popcorn and greasy butter.

“I think I might need more subjects,” Nico had said. Will had just blinked, his cheeks red.

After that, Nico was on a mission. He knew he was at least 87% gay. He’d had to factor in the fact that Will was his best friend and that neither of them had kissing experience. Which left him with a little doubt. He wasn’t grossed out by the kiss with Will, but it left him with an unnameable feeling that he shoved away.

“How many guys have you kissed now?” Will would ask him every Monday. Sometimes Nico would let Will drag him to parties just so he could kiss guys. After all, he knew Will only went to the parties to dance or talk to people. Neither found the appeal of beer too alluring.

“I think eight now.” That’d been sophomore year.  
-  
Junior year was when things started falling apart.

“I think I might have a crush on someone,” Will says. He was blushing a little as he tries to sound nonchalant. But nothing was nonchalant with Will. Everything he said he thought was important in some way. “But I’m not sure they like me back.”

Nico turns to Will. “How could they not like you back?” Even though Will was his best friend, he couldn’t deny that Will was handsome. He had the face of a sun-kissed prince and had the personality of a golden retriever. He was basically the perfect guy. “Are they not gay or whatever?”

Will shakes his head. “They are. But I’m not sure they think of me as dating material. Like, we’re just friends, you know?” Nico shrugs. He’d been asked out by a few guys, but he hadn’t really wanted to date them. So he went on one date with them and didn’t go on a second. Will liked to call him picky. Nico just thought he had standards. He was just waiting for the perfect guy to come along.

“Maybe you should ask them out? Take your chances.” Will sighs, frowning.

“But what if I mess it all up?” Nico pauses the video game they were playing, turning to Will.

“You can’t mess it up. If they’re your friend, they’ll understand. It might take a little time, but they’ll come back.” Will shrugs.

“Maybe. Or maybe I’ll just mess everything up. I mean, I’m not as great as you think I am.” Nico huffs. He knew Will was insecure about things sometimes, though he never understood why. Will was perfect, basically the embodiment of love and sunshine. He had perfect grades, was nice to everyone, and there was hardly a bad word about him.

“I think that if you really like this person, you should go for it.” Will nods. They spent the weekend looking at flowers and looking up cheesy/cute pick-up lines. (Nico didn’t think it’d work, but Will assured him his crush would laugh.) And then Will was all ready to ask out his mystery crush. It didn’t bother Nico that Will hadn’t given a name. He knew how Will worked, that it’d be more of an expectation if Nico knew.

The plan was to ask them out after school on Tuesday. (Will liked Tuesdays.) Looking back on it, the plan would have worked if Nico hadn’t messed everything up. If Nico hadn’t accepted a date on Monday, just to fill an empty slot in his weekend schedule.

“You have a date?” Will asks on Monday afternoon. He’s driving them to his house so that they can study for their upcoming chemistry test. “I thought we were hanging out this weekend.”

“We hang out every weekend. It’ll just be a few hours. I’ll spend the rest of the weekend with you. How else are we going to get through every single Harry Potter movie?”

Will had just shrugged. Something about him seemed down, but Nico didn’t ask. He might have pushed if he weren’t bordering on being grumpy. He wasn’t sure why Will was being so weird about this date. Nico had been on dates before. Will hadn’t done anything more than shrug and tell Nico to use protection. But now he seemed almost upset, and Nico didn’t like that.

“Where are you going on your date?” Will asks.

“Chico’s,” Nico says. It’s a run-down Mexican restaurant that has really good guacamole. Will didn’t really like Mexican food, though, so he and Nico hardly ever went. “And maybe a movie. Depends on if there’s anything good playing.”

“Harry Potter’s playing,” Will mumbles. Nico doesn’t respond. He just chalks all of this up to Will’s nerves over asking out his mystery crush the following day. Except, Will didn’t ask anyone out. He didn’t even show up with the flowers that he’d handpicked or in his blue button-down. He came to school in his usual T-shirt and jeans, barely talking to anyone, even Nico.  
-  
Everything went downhill from there.

Theo, Nico’s date, became Nico’s boyfriend. And Will became more like Nico’s shadow than best friend. He wasn’t sure exactly what had changed, but now they were fighting. Only, Will didn’t fight. He just took and absorbed. Nico fought, though. He yelled and gave Will the silent treatment, didn’t stick up for him when others started talking behind his back. He was too angry, too hurt.

Theo tried to help, but everything Theo said just made Nico realize how bad of a friend Will was. That Will was only Nico’s friend because he had a crush on him, that Will was only bi because he couldn’t make up his mind about who he liked, that Will didn’t really have any other friends besides Nico. That Will was using Nico to make himself feel better.

“Why haven’t you been talking to me?” Nico demands one day. He’s angry, and he wants to know why Will’s been acting like a sore loser lately. Will’s pulling stuff out of his locker. He hasn’t seen Will in three days, no texts, no calls, no waves in the hallways. He thought Will would at least congratulate him on having a boyfriend. All Will had done was grunt.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Will shoots back. He’s not glaring, but he’s doing something to his face that makes it unpleasant to look at. “I was letting you spend time with your boyfriend. Because that’s all it seems like you want to do.”

“Well, he’s my boyfriend. We hang out together. That’s what we’re supposed to do,” Nico says. He crosses his arms. He’s not sure why Will’s so upset about this. He’s allowed to kiss who he wants to. He’s allowed to date who he wants to. Will’s not his mom.

“He’s a player, though, Nico. He’ll just dump you in a few months. I’m just trying to help you.” Nico laughs.

“Right. Because your jealousy is showing.” Hurt flashes across Will’s face.

“I’m your best friend, Nico. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Well, you are,” Nico says. “Maybe we aren’t friends anymore.” He can tell Will’s going to cry by the twitch of his nose. Will’s never been ashamed to cry in front of him, but they’ve also never fought like this before. Will takes off down the hall. Nico stomps over to Theo’s locker and kisses him right in the middle of the hallway.

After that, Will doesn’t talk to him, and he doesn’t talk to Will. They still see each other in the halls, Will giving a small wave, Nico ignoring him. Sometimes Will slips an apology into Nico’s locker (sticky notes with his atrocious handwriting, once a chocolate chip cookie). Nico throws those away. He spends more time with Theo.

“Don’t worry about him, Nico. He’ll be fine,” Theo says. “He’s got other friends. And college is coming up. High school is just a lie, really. College is where everything happens.” He kisses Nico’s cheek, and Nico settles into his arms.  
-  
Senior year brings more changes.

Will isn’t anywhere to be found. Sure, he’s still going to school and whatnot. But it’s almost like he’s disappeared. He doesn’t fill a room anymore, no one talks to him. He doesn’t smile or wave or raise his hand in class. He’s always in the nurse’s office because someone’s trying to pick a fight with him. (Bullies, mostly. Because Will’s never been ashamed to cry in public. And he never fights back.)

But Nico’s relieved in a way that Will’s disappeared from his life. Maybe his mom and sister will stop giving him disapproving looks whenever it’s Theo who’s ringing the doorbell instead of Will, when it’s Theo who’s bringing Nico home late, when it’s Theo who comes over for family dinners.

“What happened to Will?” Mama asks. Nico just shrugs. He doesn’t want to talk about Will. As far as he’s concerned, Will had used him. Will didn’t matter anymore. (He’d already packed up a box of Will’s things and made Theo drop them off. He’s not sure if they made it back to Will, but he doesn’t care.)

“I don’t like Theo,” Bianca says. “He’s such a jerk sometimes.”

“He’s just guarded,” Nico defends. No one seems to understand Theo like he does. It seems like everyone’s out to get them. Why can’t people just be happy for them?

Theo’s dad was an alcoholic and his mom worked late hours. Theo practically raised himself, got himself through school. He taught himself to drive. He had a group of friends, though he didn’t hang out with them as much anymore.

“I’m never going see them once I graduate,” he says when Nico asks. Nico can’t disagree with the logic so he doesn’t push it anymore. He and Theo are already planning on going to the same college. They’re both waiting on their acceptance letters.

“But we’ll still be together, right?” Nico asks.

Theo smiles, kisses Nico’s lips. “Of course, baby.” Nico doesn’t like being called baby, but he likes almost everything else about Theo. So he lets it slide.

As spring approaches, he starts cleaning out his room. Bianca coaches him on all of the things he’ll need, everything he won’t need, how to pack efficiently. She’s already two years into college, gotten a boyfriend, and an internship. Nico’s one step ahead of her.

“I won’t need those things,” Nico says when Bianca starts pulling out things from high school: awards, medals, papers that he liked.

“Keep them just in case. Sometimes it’s fun to look back on the memories.” Nico shrugs. High school wasn’t all that everyone said it’d be. It was everything Theo said it’d be: just a four-year transition before the real world began. It wasn’t memories or exploring. It was prison.

“Fine,” Nico huffs. He starts shoving the things into a box, Bianca helping him. A new chapter of his life is about to begin, and he can’t wait.  
-  
“I didn’t get in,” Theo says. They’re on the phone, Theo’s voice just slightly quieter with disappointment. “I mean, I still got into the college here. But not the one in California.”

“I can transfer,” Nico says. He’d already gotten his acceptance letter, mailing in his yes before Theo had even gotten his news. He didn’t want to go anywhere else, so why wait? He’d thought Theo would be coming with him to college, thought they’d get a dorm together. “I can do a year in California and then come back. Or you could transfer.”

“And that’s why you got in and I didn’t,” Theo says. “Because you’re so smart. I didn’t even think about transferring.”

Nico grins. “You were too upset to think straight. It’s fine.”

Theo giggles. “I’m definitely never thinking straight.”

And then it’s graduation, and Nico’s walking across that grand stage, his diploma in hand. (Well, the cover for it. His actual diploma is still waiting for him on the other side of the room.) He manages to find Theo in the crowd, leaping into his arms. He’s trying to erase the image of Will walking across the stage. (He’d tripped on the first step and someone had laughed.)

“Baby, we’re graduates!” Theo shouts. Nico just laughs. He doesn’t think he’s ever felt so happy. They skip their own graduation parties, Nico throwing Will’s invitation into the trash. Will’s mom must have sent it by accident. He’s sure Will won’t even miss him with all of his other friends he’ll have.

He and Theo have sex for the first time that night. It’s not magical or passionate, but Nico feels a bit anxious. Because what if Theo finds a better boyfriend while Nico’s gone? Will he dump Nico? So they have sex, and Nico pushes out every negative thought.

He feels so clingy and needy right now, but he’s not about to ask that of Theo. He knows how Theo feels about that. He doesn’t want to become like Will. He wonders if that’s why he’s so needy. Because Will rubbed off on him. Because Nico’s never felt needy before. Sure, there were times when he needed Will to be there right this moment or when Will was the only one who could keep Nico from buying a motorcycle when they got their licenses. But that didn’t mean he needed Will. Will was just a bad friend masquerading as Nico’s best friend. The fact that he thinks he needs him just proves how bad Will was for him.

“Nico?” Theo asks. He’s rolled over after they both came. Nico kind of wanted to cuddle. He’s never had sex before, and he feels a bit more than exposed. “I can hear you thinking. You don’t regret what we did, right?”

“No, of course not,” Nico says. He can’t help but feel like he’s lying.

“The first time is always weird like this,” Theo says, turning to face Nico. “I’m just not really a cuddler. You know that, baby.” He kisses Nico’s cheek. Nico wants to go somewhere, but he has nowhere to go. All he’s ever needed is right here in the room.

“Will it get better?” Nico asks. Theo smiles at him. He doesn’t have any freckles.

“Yeah, it gets way better. You’ll see.” Nico nods, pulling the covers over himself and trying to fall asleep.  
-  
Nico’s roommate is a man by the name of Jason Grace. At first, Nico almost has a heart attack thinking it’s Will come back to get him. But Will doesn’t have glasses or close-cut hair. Will isn’t here. And, surprisingly, Jason makes a good friend. Nico’s wary to watch out for signs of anything like his and Will’s friendship, but he can’t see any. He thinks maybe that’s because he never noticed it with Will either.

“Dude, I loved high school,” Jason is saying. “I mean, it wasn’t all that great, but it was still fun. No one really cared, so it didn’t really matter. Here, it’s like everything is recorded by your shadow and can’t be changed. That’s the scary part.”  
Nico just shrugs. “High school isn’t that much different from a prison,” he says. Jason shrugs.

“Depends on how you look at it. It can’t all be that bad. I did meet my girlfriend there. And a few of my close friends. So there’s that.”

Jason, Nico is realizing, is sort of like Will. And he almost doesn’t mind. They hang out together, go eat together, attempt to study together. Jason’s quieter than Will is, more still. He doesn’t exude sunshine and love, but he’s still quick to call Nico out on things he doesn’t think are right.

“So, that boyfriend of yours. Why do you never tell him stuff? I mean, I know you aren’t exactly the kind of person to share everything, but it seems like you two are pretty serious.” Nico shrugs. He feels defensive now. Has Jason been listening to his phone conversations?

“He doesn’t like hearing all of it. And most of it isn’t important. He’s also in college, so he gets how this stuff works.” He can’t help but think that even if he and Will were roommates, they’d still tell each other every mundane thing.

“Yeah, but he’s your boyfriend. He’s supposed to care about that stuff. I tell Piper everything. Even when I trimmed my toenails.” Nico makes a face. “You don’t have to tell her that much. But you didn’t even tell him about the party you went to this weekend.”

“He’s been to parties,” Nico says. He doesn’t say that Theo would hate the idea of Nico going to a party by himself. Theo always made sure to watch out for Nico when they went partying, something about making sure no one roofied him, though Nico still didn’t drink. “He’s coming to visit this weekend, though, so I’ll catch him up.”

Jason just nods. Jason’s a good friend if not slightly overprotective. Nico likes him. He even introduces him to Theo. Theo just shakes Jason’s hand, whisking Nico out of the room before covering him in kisses. “I’ve missed you so much, baby,” Theo says. “So much. If your roommate weren’t in, I’d have you naked that bed already.”

Nico shivers, though it’s not from arousal. He’s never seen Theo this hungry before, almost growling. He peels himself away, suggesting that they go eat somewhere. So they eat Chinese food and walk downtown. They tease each other and make up stories about people walking by.

And it all feels so different. Like what they had only fit back home. Not here, in California. Not when they’re thousands of miles apart. But Nico doesn’t say anything. They’ve just fallen out of their groove, he thinks. It’ll be back by the end of the weekend. And it is. Mostly.

“So, that’s the boyfriend?” Jason asks once Theo’s boarded a flight Monday afternoon. Nico nods, expecting Jason to nod back. “He’s not what I imagined.”

“What do you mean?” Nico asks. He just wants one person to approve of his boyfriend. Is that too much to ask?

“I just mean that you’re so weird around him. Like he stomps on your vibe or something. It just feels like you’re holding your breath around him or something.” Nico scoffs.

“He takes my breath away,” he shoots back. Jason just shrugs.

“Personally, I like breathing, but suit yourself. It’s your life, man.”

Nico doesn’t understand what Jason means until just before Christmas break. Theo calls him while he’s studying for his last final.

“Hey, baby,” he says. Nico smiles. Studying for finals is stressful. He’s glad for this break. “Hey, um, I’m just calling to say that I think we should break up. You know, you’re great, Nico. Super great. But I’ve kind of been seeing this guy, and I think he’s really the one. The one, you know? Nico?”

“You’re cheating on me?” is all Nico can get out.

“Not really. That’s kind of why we’re breaking up,” Theo says. His voice is even, like he’s thought about this for days. Nico wonders if he was seeing that other guy over Thanksgiving break when he claimed to have a cold and could only see Nico for a few hours at a time. Nico should have known.

“We’re over, then,” he says. Then he hangs up the phone. He thinks he should cry, but he can’t make himself care enough. He doesn’t realize that he’s been holding his breath until he lets it out. And it feels good.  
-  
Spring semester, he moves into a crappy apartment with Jason. Jason’s a year older than him, but Nico’s agreed to get a job to pay for rent. Jason’s his best friend now, though Piper’s slowly working on Nico’s nerves. He still goes to parties, though they’re not as fun. He mostly hangs out with Jason and Jason’s friends.

He might have a small crush on Percy Jackson, though Percy’s madly in love with a girl named Annabeth. And they’re too cute together to even think about splitting them up.

“So, no boyfriend?” Jason asks when Nico comes home late one night. Nico just throws a pillow at Jason. He’s taking a small break from boys. He still has yet to cry over Theo, and he can tell it’s scaring Jason a bit. “Sit down. Talk.” Jason pats the pillow beside him.

Nico grabs a soda before sitting down. He props his feet up on the table that doubles as a footrest. “What do you want me to talk about?”

Jason shrugs. “Life. School. That party. Why your sister handed you a box of junk.”

Nico laughs. “Bianca thinks I’m going to make a scrapbook or something one day. And then I’ll need all of that junk to put in it.” She’d mailed him random stuff from his closet just last week in the disguise of a care package. There were some cookies in it, but there was also random junk from his room. Action figures, old books, random pieces of mail, an award from third grade.

“Sounds useful. We could also use it in case we need to make a fire.” Nico rolls his eyes. They don’t have a fireplace in their apartment, and fires aren’t allowed in the building. Something about safety violations. “I could see you making a scrapbook, you know. You have that artist vibe about you.”

Nico rolls his eyes again. He’s majoring in business, and he doesn’t have a minor figured out. He was thinking about English or psychology. He’s never thought about art before. He gets up, grabbing the box from the kitchen table.

“Here, help me sort this stuff out.” They dump it onto the floor, papers going everywhere. Then they start sorting it. Everything worth keeping goes back into the box. Everything else goes into the trash. “I can’t believe she sent me my elementary art projects. These are awful. Look, I put the turkey’s face on the wrong finger.”

Jason laughs. “It’s a unique turkey. I bet no one else would have ever thought of that.” They find his medal for getting all A’s in middle school, his swimming certificate saying that he was now allowed in the deep end of the pool, a Mythomagic action figure, a Pokémon card, though Nico never played Pokémon.

“Hey, who’s this?” Jason asks. He’s going through a stack of photos while Nico’s rummaging through his old art projects. “This blond guy?”

Nico freezes for a second before looking at the pictures. Sure enough, it’s Will with his stupid smile. They’re from the years: he and Will dressed as cats for Halloween, the two of them at the county fair, the two of them on their first day of middle school, the two of them blowing bubbles, making popcorn, asleep on Nico’s bed, the two them laughing.

“That’s Will,” Nico says. Jason doesn’t push it. Nico shoves the photos into an envelope. He wants to get rid of them, burn them, burn the evidence. But he can’t bring himself to. So he just slides them into his box, deciding he’ll deal with them later.

“Is this the same Will?” Jason asks, holding up an envelope. It’s unopened, but whatever’s inside is clearly a lot. On the front, in Will’s awful handwriting, is Nico’s name. And then ‘I’m sorry’ underneath it. Like the pictures, Nico can’t seem to throw it into the trash, so into the box it goes.

He shoves the box into the back of his closet, forgetting about it.  
-  
What Nico’s not expecting on a Saturday morning is to be woken up by someone knocking on his door. He’s about to yell for Jason to get it, but he remembers that Jason’s spent the night at Piper’s place. Grumbling, he pulls on some pants and answers the door.

A girl is standing outside, a bored look on her face. But even bored, she still looks like she could run a knife through Nico without even flinching.

“Can I help you?” Nico asks.

“Are you allergic to plants?” Nico shakes his head. “Will you be around this weekend?” Nico nods slowly. He can feel he’s getting himself into something. But he doesn’t have anything else to do.

“I’m not buying plants,” Nico says. The girl huffs.

“I’m asking you to plant sit,” she says. “I’m your neighbor, and I’m leaving this weekend. I would have asked my friend, but he’s also gone this weekend. So I’m a bit desperate.”

“It’s just the weekend, though,” Nico says. The girl sighs.

“I know, but he’s really attached to these plants. It’s either you take care of them, or I’m driving home with six plants in my backseat. Look, I just need you to water them and maybe talk to them a bit. It’ll take maybe thirty minutes per day. And I’ll pay you.”

“I’m Nico,” Nico says. The girl smiles, her grin sharp.

“Reyna.” Now that she’s said that, Nico thinks he’s seen her around. He didn’t know she lived next door, though. “So, is that a yes? Because I think he might kill me if I disturb his plants. And he’ll definitely kill me if they die.”

“How much?” He already knows he’ll do it, even if she pays him a quarter per plant.

“Twenty dollars.” Nico nods “Great, thanks. You can get dressed and come over to see them if you want. He’s got instructions, so it’s pretty easy.”

Nico has no idea what’s happening, but how hard can it be to take care of plants? He gets dressed, making himself a cup of coffee before going over. He hesitates when he realizes he doesn’t know which neighbor Reyna is. He’s not sure she’s the type for a welcome mat, though, so he goes with the door without. Fortunately, she answers.

“Okay, so they’re all out here,” Reyna says. “And here are the instructions. The measuring cups are all laid out on the counter, and you shouldn’t have to fertilize them this weekend. Just water them and make sure to move them like it says. And talk to them. Nothing particular. Just something nice. They also like classical rock if you listen to that.”

He looks at the plants. Most of them are green and leafy. Some of them, he thinks, are herbs. He’s honestly not that much of a plant expert, so he has no idea which one is the orchid and which one is the basil. He also notices a litter box in the corner of the room. He half expects a cat to come out of nowhere.

Nico thinks his neighbor might be crazy. “Yeah, okay. I got it. But which plants are which?”

“They’re labeled.” She points to a purple flower. “The labels are on the stickers.” Nico bends down, nodding. Reyna’s pointing to an orchid. “Oh, and here’s the spare key. I’m trusting you so don’t mess this up. If anything happens, call me.”

Nico’s pretty sure she might kill him if these plants so much as wilt. “Why’re they so important? I mean, is your friend a botanist?”

Reyna shakes her head. “He’s an English major. But he prefers plants to people. Come back over around one or two. I’ll be gone by then.” It’s not much of an answer, but Nico doesn’t ask. He doesn’t even know these people.

Jason’s back when Nico steps into their apartment. “What’s that?”

“Plant instructions. I’m plant-sitting this weekend.” Jason grins.

“Are they cute plants?” Nico shrugs.

“You can come with me. I’m supposed to go over there this afternoon.”  
-  
Jason does come with him. And he searches for the cat. “I don’t think he’s here, Jace. I mean, they didn’t ask me to watch the cat. Just the plants.” He's just finished watering all of them. Now, he’s got to talk to them. “What do you think I’m supposed to say?”

Jason shrugs. “Tell them about your day. Introduce yourself. They might think you’re a stranger.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “I am a stranger. And these are plants. I kind of wish I got stuck with the cat.” He sighs, starting to introduce himself to the plants. He feels ridiculous, but Jason is delighted. He introduces himself, shaking their leaves gently.

“I can see why our neighbor might like this. It’s relaxing,” Jason says. Nico shrugs. It’s still weird to him. He’s not the type that names cars or kitchenware or anything. He’s never had a pet either. “Just pretend like they’re your best friend.”

“That’s really sad, Jason,” Nico says. “Besides, I have you.” Jason grins. Nico gives the plants a weather report before grabbing Jason’s arm and pulling him away. He thinks he might have to start planning what he’s going to say to these plants.

He’s just about to the door when he freezes. Because a familiar face has caught his eye. Will’s staring back at him from the coffee table. He’s got his arm looped around Reyna, a lopsided smile on his face. He looks almost the same as he did when he and Nico were friends, but there’s something different around him. He almost looks like a different person somehow, but Nico would recognize that pattern of freckles everywhere.

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence,” Jason says. “Like, maybe Reyna and he are friends.”

“This is his apartment,” Nico says. “He lives here. And I’m taking care of his plants.” He wants to freak out, but all he can do is laugh. He marches into what he assumes is Will’s room, looking around.

“Didn’t you just yell at me for snooping?” Jason asks. Nico spots another picture on Will’s nightstand. It’s of Will’s family, all seven of them. Nico picks it up, examining it. He spots Kayla and Lee and Michael and Austin. Lee and Will always looked so similar, but there are startling differences in this picture.

Will’s so much paler, slumped somehow, like life stomped on him. He’s not quite smiling, that smile that Nico knows is fake. And suddenly, all of his pent-up anger at Will is gone. Like a balloon deflating. Because Theo was a liar, so it’s possible he was lying about Will.

“Nico?” Jason asks. “You should probably set it down. You look like you might smash it.” Nico sets the photo down, looking around the room. There isn’t much in here. Just a made bed, twin sized. A stuffed dog rests where the pillow should be, and Nico almost cries. Because it’s the dog Nico gave to Will when he was sick with the flu. It’s ratty now and it looks like an ear has been sewed on again, but it’s still here.

“We need to leave,” Nico says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part two is the next chapter


	21. falling into place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Nico are strangers until Nico realizes out how bad things had gotten in high school. Apologies can be hard.
> 
> or, not everything that falls apart is broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: implied/referenced emotional abuse, implied/referenced suicide, implied/referenced depression, mentions of social anxiety, mention of biphobia, panic attack
> 
> please let me know if anything needs to be tagged
> 
> this is part two of falling apart :) (part one is the previous chapter)

He’s not sure what to do, so he doesn’t do anything. He takes care of the plants, watering them and spraying them. He checks their leaves and rotates them so they don’t get too much or too little sun. He wants to ask them about Will, how he’s doing, how he ended up in California, but he can’t. They’re just plants.

“Nico, maybe you should talk to him?” Jason suggests. “If he was your best friend, he’d understand.” Nico finches. He remembers himself saying something similar to this so long ago. It’s been three years since he’s really been any kind of friend to Will, three years since he actively wrote Will out of his life.

“I’m just going to ignore it,” Nico says. “Reyna’s our neighbor. And maybe Will’s her friend.” He tries to tell himself that Will has friends now, that he escaped the horrors of high school. He can’t hide it from Jason, though, who catches him looking through the few photos he has of Will and him.

“Are you scrapbooking?” Jason asks. Nico flips him off. It’s been a week since Reyna stopped by to pay Nico. She’d smiled, giving him a thumbs up.

“Guess I’ll have to kill you another time,” she said. Nico wonders if she knows about how awful a friend he is.

Nico shuffles through the pictures again. There aren’t any recent ones. The most recent is from their first day of high school. They hadn’t had a chance to go to any dances together. Nico and Theo went to prom together. Nico’s not even sure if Will went. 

“Maybe you should read his letter,” Jason says. He sets a mug of coffee on Nico’s nightstand before leaving. “I’ll be at Piper’s if you need anything. There’s ice cream and those pizza bagel things in the freezer.”

Nico nods. It takes him an hour to open the letter. And then he can’t bring himself to unfold it. And then he feels sick. Because it’s a collection of letters, all written to Nico from Will. About everything that Will went through in high school.

‘My therapist said this would make me feel better,’ Will writes in one letter, junior year. ‘So far it’s not working. I still hate myself. And knowing I’m writing these letters makes me hate myself more. Because you’ve always been my best friend. Even when we weren’t speaking.’

Nico wants to take a break from reading, but he knows he won’t have the courage to keep reading.

Spring, junior year: ’Mama’s pretty worried about me, about how I’ve stopped talking to everyone. Even my family on some days. It never felt like work talking to people before. Especially not with you. Even when we fought. Are we still fighting? I keep apologizing, and my therapist says I should stop. Because you haven’t answered. And some things aren’t meant to be. He meant us, I guess.’

Nico’s still reading when Jason gets home. He’s gone through two tissue boxes, and Jason tries to pry the letters from his hand.

“He tried to kill himself,” Nico sobs when Jason turns on the overhead light. “I made him want to kill himself.”

Jason shakes his head. “No, Nico. It’s not all your fault.”

“But I let it happen. I didn’t even know this was happening.” His hands shake as he rereads what Will wrote about the bullying, all of the horrible things they did to him, all of the awful things he never even knew happened. All of the things he’d turned his back to.

‘I guess this is goodbye,’ Will writes. ‘I’m moving far away. Someplace where people don’t know my name. And maybe it’ll be better. Or maybe I’ll still hate myself and end up dead far away from everyone who ever cared about me. Sometimes I wonder if you still care about me. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking.’  
“Nico, you need to take a break from reading these,” Jason says. He tries to pry the letter out of Nico’s hands again. “They’ll still be here in the morning.”

‘I hope you find happiness. I still believe it’s not with Theo, but who am I to say what’s right and wrong? I wish you the best always, Nico. You’ve always been my best friend, and maybe that’s what’s wrong with me. I don’t know when to let go. Maybe by the time you read these letters, I’ll have let go. Of our friendship, of you, of life.’

Nico picks up the closest thing (a book) and throws it across the room. He knows he’s a mess right now. Who wouldn’t be? He hears Jason picking things up, folding the letters back up.

“He shouldn’t have sent those to you,” Jason says. In a weird way, he’s glad Will’s sent the letters, even if it is kind of sick and twisted. “It’s not letting go if he does this.”

Nico just shakes his head. Jason’s jamming the letters back into the envelope, ready to tear them to shreds. “No, please. I’m okay,” Nico says. Jason doesn’t believe him. “I mean, I’m going to be okay. Besides, you told me to read the letters.”

Jason sighs. “I didn’t know they were some kind of suicide letter.”

“But he’s not dead. He lives next door,” Nico says. He sits up. Will lives next door. He can make this right. He looks around for some paper before pulling out a stack from his printer. “Help me write an apology. Please, Jason.” Jason looks skeptical.

“I don’t know, Nico. If he’s made his peace, I don’t think it’s right to step back into his life.” Nico wants to cry at that. Because he’s missed Will, so badly. He can’t imagine the rest of his life without Will. “I mean, he seemed like he was happy in those pictures. And that was probably after he sent those letters.”

“Do you think he knows I live here?” Nico asks. Jason shakes his head.

“I don’t think Reyna would have let you in if you had. If I were in her place, I’d never let you come near Will.” Nico wouldn’t either. But he’s not in Reyna’s place. He’s in his, and he has to make this right. “Tomorrow, Nico. You’ll be more rested in the morning, okay? Promise me.”

Nico wipes his face, nodding. He goes to take a shower, feeling a little more refreshed. He falls asleep on the couch, only halfway through a Harry Potter marathon.  
-  
It’s summer by the time Nico comes up with something worth saying. His trashcan is overflowing with apology letters. So much so that Jason’s begging Nico to draft his letters on the computer instead. Nico’s googled apologies, how to make up with best friends, even considered making a poll.

He’s so paranoid that he’ll see Will before he’s ready to apologize and make a bigger mess of things. But it’s summer now, and Nico’s gotten good at listening for footsteps. He knows which are coming from Reyna and Will’s side, which ones are coming and which ones are going. It doesn’t seem like Will goes many places.

“Flowers?” Jason asks when Nico tells him his plan.

“Yeah. Because he likes plants. And he tried to ask me out with flowers,” Nico says.

“Exactly. He tried to ask you out with flowers. And it failed. Because you already had a date. I don’t think he wants to be reminded.”

“Well, he likes plants. I’m going through with it,” Nico says. He has to do this, and he’s at a loss for what to do. He drags Jason to the nursery to pick out a plant. “What do you think he’d like?”

Jason shrugs. “You know him better than I do.”

“Did. I probably don’t know him at all anymore.” Jason pats his back.

“How about a sunflower?” Jason asks. Nico grins. Will always made him think of sunflowers. And yellow used to be Will’s favorite color.

He buys the sunflower in its purple pot, sticking his note to the side. Then he paces the apartment for about three hours before he finally has the courage to take it next door. He knocks on the door, bolting the moment he hears footsteps.

“Hello?” Reyna calls. He hears her pick up the sunflower. While the apartment is crappy, it does have somewhat thick walls. That and Will’s apartment is on the side of Nico’s kitchen. It’s hard to listen through an oven. Nico bakes a couple dozen cookies before he gets his answer.

Reyna’s at the door, a scowl on her face. “So you’re the jerk from high school?” she asks. Nico doesn’t know what to say. “You’re so lucky that Will isn’t home at the moment. Or maybe you’re unlucky because I could kill you on the spot.” She steps forward, and Nico backs into the apartment.

She’s brandishing his note, glaring at him. “This is how you say sorry? After everything you put him through? A sunflower and a note?”

“I didn’t know if he wanted to see me,” Nico says quietly.

“Well, he’s going to if you want to apologize,” Reyna says. “You’re going to man up and talk to him. Or else you’re going to stay out of his life. Got it?”

Nico nods. “Yeah.” Reyna lets herself out. When Nico opens the door again, his sunflower is waiting for him on the welcome mat. Sighing, he brings it inside, googling how to take care of a sunflower. He places it in the sunniest window they’ve got, watering it.

“I take it didn’t go so well,” Jason says. Nico shakes his head. “Well, I guess at least he’s been making friends.” Nico shrugs.

“Do you think this really is a bad idea?” Nico asks.

Jason shrugs. “I think that’s up to you. Personally, yes. But it seems like he’s waiting for his best friend to come home.”  
-  
The sign from the universe comes one July morning. Nico’s just gotten back from visiting his family, and he’s having trouble carrying his stuff up the stairs. (The elevator was recently broken by some idiot.) He loses his grip on one of his bags, almost missing his step as he turns to grab it.

“Here,” comes a soft voice. He can’t quite see the guy through all of the food his mom insisted on sending with him. All he sees is a green jacket and blond hair. He prays to every god out there that it’s Jason’s cousin or something.

“Thanks,” Nico says when he gets to his door. The stranger just bobs his head before slipping into his own apartment. The one right next to Nico’s. Nico walks into his apartment to confirm. He can hear footsteps in the apartment to his right now, then classical rock music starts up.

Nico quickly drags all of his stuff into his apartment, glad for once that Jason’s not here to watch him freak out. Before he can stop himself, he’s walking over to Will’s door and knocking. His heart drops into his stomach when Will answers the door.

“Um,” Will says. He’s not quite looking at Nico, but that’s okay. Because Nico’s definitely looking at Will. At his freckles and his eyes and his hair. He looks almost like how Nico imagined Will growing up, but there’s something different. He’s not smiling.

“Right, um, just a second.” Nico hurries to his apartment where he’s been keeping the sunflower. He holds it out to Will now. “I got you this. As an apology for everything I’ve ever done and said. Because I’m so sorry, Will. I really am. I just don’t know how to make it mean enough.”

Will blinks, shaking a little. He actually looks scared. Or like he might faint. “For everything?” Will asks after a minute. His voice is so soft now.

“Yeah,” Nico says. “Wait. Not the friendship part. But everything else. Everything that destroyed our friendship. I’m really sorry. If I could go back and do it all again, I would.”

Will nods slowly. “I forgave you a long time ago,” he says. “But I can forgive you again.” Nico wants to hug Will, but he’s pretty sure Will needs to sit down as soon as possible. He hears a cat purr, and he looks down. Sure enough, a fat orange tabby is rubbing its head against Will’s legs.

“Um,” Nico says.

Will blinks again. “You can come in,” he says. Nico hesitates for a moment before nodding. Will sets the sunflower up by his other plants before sitting down on the couch. The cat immediately curls up in his lap, purring. Will holds the cat close, pulling his legs under him.

“Anxiety,” Will says. Nico wonders if that was what Will’s insecurities were when they were younger. He feels awful about dismissing them. “This is Poppy.”

Nico feels more awkward than he ever has around Will before. He moves to look at Will’s plants. The basil has sprouted about six new leaves, and Nico can smell the mint from where he’s standing.

“I got your letters,” he says quietly. He doesn’t turn to look at Will. “And maybe you shouldn’t have sent them, but I’m kind of glad you did. Because I didn’t know that any of that stuff had happened. And maybe if I did, I could have saved you. Would have saved you. But I didn’t. And I didn’t realize how much I missed you until you were gone and Theo was gone.”

“You’re the first person I’ve ever had over here,” Will says softly after a moment. “The second person I’ve talked to in weeks.” He pauses. “I never sent my letters.” He looks scared again, so vulnerable. He’s all curled up on the couch, even though he could probably lay down and fill the whole thing.

“What can I do to make it better, Will? If I could go back, I would.”

Will just shrugs. He lays his head on the couch. It’s a July afternoon, and he’s wearing a jacket. “I just wish it never happened.” He’s shaking, his eyes squeezed shut. Poppy meows, laying herself on Will’s chest. But Will’s sobbing now, and if he keeps this up, he’s going to make himself sick.

Nico’s there in an instant, his old instincts kicking in. He extracts Poppy from Will’s chest, pulling Will close to him. Will flinches, but he doesn’t pull away. He wraps his arms around Will, holding his head close to his shoulder. Will’s trembling in his arms, clinging to him like a lifeboat. Nico rubs his back, whispering softly.

He remembers when Will’s grandma died, and Will cried for days. He’d come home from school to find Will curled up in his bed, and he’d crawl right in with him. And he’d held Will until he stopped crying, until he stopped shaking. It’s almost like this.

Nico intervenes when Will starts coughing. He pats Will’s back, talking to him like he attempted to talk to Will’s plants months earlier. And eventually, Will calms down. He’s heavy against Nico’s chest, blinking and yawning. Poppy’s wedged herself between the two of them, and Nico lets her. Will looks exhausted.

“Why don’t you take a shower?” Nico asks. Will nods. He leans on Nico as they make their way to the bathroom. He’s relieved when he doesn’t hear Will lock the door. When the water starts, Nico’s tempted to just bolt, but he doesn’t. Because if he does, his apology won’t mean anything.

He’s trying to make up to Poppy when Will comes back out. He’s wearing a sweater and shorts, his hair hanging in wet curls. He looks a little better. He plops back down on the couch, curling back up with Poppy. He doesn’t even seem to remember Nico’s in the room.

“Do you want me to leave?” Nico asks softly.

“Will you come back?” Will asks. He looks so tired.

“Of course,” Nico says, but Will’s already asleep. Nico pulls a blanket over Will before quietly leaving. He’d have succeeded if Reyna weren’t just about to unlock the door. Before Nico can do anything, Reyna’s demanding he unlock his own door before shoving him through it.

“I apologized,” Nico says. Reyna almost smiles before letting herself out.  
-  
August is when things start getting better.

Nico goes over to Will’s apartment every now and then. They don’t do much. They don’t even talk. Will puts in a movie or they go for a walk. That’s where Nico notices the most change in Will, on their walks. Before, Will would have waved to everyone, smiled at all of the dogs, even asked to pet some. He’d be skipping or laughing or rambling about something or other. He’d want to go on the swings or the slide. He’d want to race Nico to the next stop sign.

Instead, he’s just quiet. He doesn’t make eye contact. Whenever people do look their way, it seems like Will almost tries to disappear. He reaches into his pocket, taking out a stress ball and rolling it in his hands. He doesn’t even talk to Nico other than to say hi or ask how he’s doing.

Nico’s not sure what he’s supposed to do, how to get Will to talk. He wants to ask Will about high school, about the letters, about how he ended up rooming with Reyna. But he’s not sure how to. The first few times Nico cames over, all Will could seem to do was curl up on the couch while Nico sat there awkwardly.

“I want to be your friend again,” Nico says when he sits down this time. Will’s on the couch, T-shirt and shorts this time. He looks like he’s still in his pjs. Nico’s been reading up about depression and anxiety and anything else Will might have.

“Okay,” Will says. “We’re friends now.”

They sit in silence for a bit longer. “Friends talk to each other and do stuff together,” Nico says. He knows their friendship probably won’t go back to what it was before, but he’s going to try and salvage as much as he can. “Do you want to get ice cream?”

Will shakes his head before saying, “No.” Will used to love ice cream, once declared he could eat it every day. “There’s some in the freezer,” he adds. Nico nods. He gets bowls for them, scooping out some ice cream. They eat it on the couch, sitting about two feet away from each other.

“What’s your favorite color?” Nico asks.

“Yellow.” Will looks at him. Nico waits patiently. “Yours?”

Nico smiles. “Blue. Like always.” His favorite shade of blue is Will’s eyes when he’s happy. “Favorite food?”

Will has to think a minute. “Ice cream,” he says. He almost smiles. His lips twitch. “You?”

“Lasagne.” He lets the ice cream melt in his mouth as he thinks. “Favorite season?”

“Spring.” Nico nods.

“Mine is autumn.” He takes another bite. Poppy’s sitting between the two of them, her head on Will’s lap. He asks simple questions like that, feeling good that he’s getting some answers at least. After about an hour or so of this, Will’s voice starts getting scratchy, and Nico’s reminded again how much as changed. Will used to be able to talk for hours.

Nico smiles at Will, waves to Poppy. He excuses himself. Once back in his own apartment, he flops down on the couch. He’s exhausted. He wonders if that’s how it was when he and Will were first becoming friends. Nico didn’t talk much except around Will. And now Nico will go to parties on his own and hook up with people or ask people for directions without hesitation.

“How’s Will?” Jason asks. Nico shrugs. He misses the old Will, but he’d taken him for granted.

“He’s really shy now, and he seems to hate to be touched.” Even Reyna hardly touched him. She would give him high fives or poke his shoulder but only when he was looking.

“What kind of guy was Theo that made the entire school hate someone so much?”

“I guess it was just mob mentality.” And Nico had been caught up in the entire thing. He keeps bringing stuff to Will whenever he goes over. So far he’s brought a sunflower, a bar of chocolate, a handful of candy, and a sheet of cat stickers. He’s not sure what Will does with all of the stuff, but he always almost smiles when he answers the door.

“Well, at this rate, you two will be good friends by the time you graduate,” Jason says. Nico kind of wants to punch him, even though he knows it’s true. Two years of trauma is a lot to forgive and even more to work through.  
-  
They’re three months into their friendship when Will speaks to him first, and Nico almost trips over himself. Will’s still not quite smiling, but he looks happier than he has in a while. Classes are in full swing, and fall break is coming up.

“Are you going home this weekend?” Will asks. No hello or how are you. A full question.

“No. Bianca’s staying with her boyfriend, and my parents are working,” Nico says. His life is pretty much here in California. Will nods at this information before inviting Nico to sit down. There’s already a movie playing, the second Harry Potter. Will’s got a bowl of popcorn, and he gently pats the cushion next to him.

Nico sits down, almost jumping up again when Reyna comes through the front door. She hardly glances at Nico before addressing Will.

“Do you know where my phone is? Leo swears he didn’t take it, but I can’t seem to find it.”

“Check the bathroom,” Will says, turning back to the movie. He’s wearing a sweater now, the sleeves long and hanging over his hands. He has to pull them back whenever he reaches for the popcorn so that the butter doesn’t get on his sleeve. “And then check your backpack.”

“I’m not going to be back tonight,” Reyna says, phone in hand now. “You two behave. Will, I’ve got my cell if you need anything.” There’s something in her eyes that tells Nico she’s talking about him. Will nods.

“Do you know where my phone is?” Will asks. Reyna gives him a fond smile before grabbing something out of the kitchen cabinet and handing it to Will. “Thanks.” He gives Reyna a small smile, and she glances at Nico again. She doesn’t need to say anything; Nico gets the message.

“She’s kind of scary, I guess,” Will says. “But a good scary.” Nico can just nod.

They don’t talk until the movie is over, commercials and all. Nico stands up, ready to leave. He never really stays long, knowing that the social aspect of their friendship tires Will out pretty quickly still. Will reaches out, bumping Nico’s hand.

“Wait. Stay?” He pauses. “For dinner, I mean. I’m hungry.” Nico just nods. He stands in the kitchen while Will rummages around. “Pasta or pancakes?”

“Pancakes,” Nico says. Will almost smiles again. He gets out a bag of chocolate chips, dumping them into the batter that he’s made. His phone buzzes while he’s hunched over the griddle.

“Can you check that?” Nico looks at Will’s phone, tapping it. There’s no lock, so he goes right into the messaging app.

“It’s Reyna. She wants to know how you’re doing.” Will shrugs.

“Say good. Tell her we’re making pancakes.” Nico types this out, frowning when he sees that Reyna and Will’s family are Will’s only contacts. If he scrolls down just a little bit more, he sees his own name. Will has eight contacts saved and a handful of unclaimed numbers.

“How did you meet Reyna?” Nico asks as they sit down. He figures that’s the easiest question on his mind.

Will eats two pancakes before answering. “We had English together, and she had an open room.” He pauses. “My roommate and I didn’t get along too well,” he adds. “So it was a stranger or some guy who hated me.” He shrugs.

“But you seem like friends now.”

Will nods. “She’s pretty good at breaking down barriers,” he says. “And she’s studying social work, so she’s had practice in dealing with people like me.” He’s not looking at Nico again. “She’s the one who suggested I get a cat. Before, I was just kind of coping with plants.”

Nico eats another pancake. “I’m glad you met her.”

“I’d probably have dropped out if it weren’t for her,” Will says softly. “My social anxiety got pretty bad at the end of senior year, beginning of freshman year. That’s why my roommate hated me. Because I didn’t like new people and would keep panicking.” He sniffles.

This is honestly the most Nico’s ever heard from Will in the last three years. Will chugs his orange juice, burping quietly. “I want to help you, too,” Nico says.

“Okay,” Will says. “I could use another friend.” Nico smiles.  
-  
Slowly but surely, they’re becoming friends again. So, maybe Theo was right about one thing. That things could get better with time. By fall break, Will is coming over to see Nico on his own. Sometimes Jason’s there, and Nico can tell that Jason’s slowly growing on Will. The biggest change is that Will’s smile is back. He only wears it when he’s in the apartment or when he’s been caught off guard by something funny, but it’s there. And Nico feels like celebrating.

Thanksgiving is when things change.

Both of them are going home, so it only makes sense that they go together. Nico has to guide Will around the airport, holding his hand so that Will doesn’t freeze up in the middle of the airport crowd. Nico also hates airports, but someone has to get them through this.

They sit next to each other on the plane, playing card games and staring out the window. Will falls asleep against Nico’s shoulder, and it almost feels like old times when Will could fall asleep almost anywhere. Nico feels this urge to kiss Will’s forehead, and he has to tell himself no. He’s just becoming friends with Will. He can’t jeopardize it so quickly. Not when he feels happier than he has in a long time.

He’s also coming to terms with his and Theo’s relationship, realizing that Theo was emotionally abusive to Nico, that Theo was the one using Nico. Nico’s mostly gotten over Theo, though the thought still makes him angry whenever he sees Will’s blue eyes wide with fear simply because someone’s coming towards them or yelling on the phone.

Will’s family is surprisingly receptive to Nico. (He kind of thought they’d hate him.) They invite him over for the day after Thanksgiving when Nico’s stuffed to the max with his mom’s delicious cooking. He practically rolls out of bed, so nervous when Bianca drops him off.

Will answers the door, grinning when he sees Nico. He’s wearing a blue sweater with cats on it that his mom gave him. He grabs Nico’s hand, tugging him inside. “It’s chaos,” he says. Nico believes him, but he’s not expecting an all-out silly string fight to be happening in the kitchen. Will just shrugs, tossing Nico his own can and ducking behind one of his brothers.

It’s so hard to believe that this quiet boy comes from a family like this, but then Nico remembers that it wasn’t always this way. Once upon a time, Will would have started something like this. They lock themselves in Will’s bedroom by the time that water guns make an entrance into the chaos.

“It’s way too cold to be shooting each other with water,” Will grumbles. Nico laughs. They’re watching the fight out of Will’s bedroom window. Kayla’s got the upper hand right now, though Nico catches Lee scaling a tree. Somehow, neither of them saw the bucket of water balloons that Michael was now throwing at his siblings. One hits Will’s window, and they both jump, falling back onto Will’s bed.

Will’s fallen on top of Nico, their legs slightly tangled together. Nico thinks he’s dreamt this at least eight times in the past few months. Will’s sweater paws are pressed against his chest, and Nico’s sure he can feel the now unsteady rise and fall of his breathing.

“Can I kiss you?” Nico asks, replaying a slightly older scene where he’s asking Will for his first kiss. If he’d been smarter, he and Will could have lost count by now. Will nods ever so slowly, his breathing hitching when Nico leans up to press their lips together. He tangles his fingers into Will’s hair, his other hand smoothing down Will’s back.

“Is this real?” Will asks when they pull back for air. His lips are red and a little swollen from Nico tugging on them. “Nico.”

Nico smiles, tracing Will’s cheekbones. “It’s real, Will.” He pauses. “Will you be my boyfriend?”

He’s not expecting Will to tackle him in a hug, but he does. Elbows and ribs crash into each other, and they both make startled ‘oof’ noises. Nico’s laughing, and he thinks Will’s crying. Or maybe he’s also crying. He kisses Will’s tears away as they roll onto their sides. It feels like a fantasy.

After a bit, he pulls back, pulling Will into his chest. “I’m here, sunshine,” he whispers, an old childhood nickname resurfacing. “And I’m so sorry I ever let you go.”

Will hiccups against Nico’s collarbones, mouthing sloppily at Nico’s neck. “I feel like I’m dreaming,” he whispers. Nico knows this won’t fix everything, but they’re getting there.  
-  
Jason’s more than happy with the recent developments. Reyna’s still watching Nico like a hawk. “One wrong step and I’m going on the offensive,” she says. Nico nods. He has to admit that he’s glad Will has a friend like Reyna, even though Reyna scares him half the time.

Will and Nico are kind of making out on the couch when Jason walks in. Will scurries to sit up, pulling his sweater down. Nico almost whines at the loss of warm skin against his, but he knows that Will’s not big on PDA. Jason’s eyes go big when he sees the cookies that Nico and Will spent the morning baking.

“So I was thinking,” Jason says around three bites of cookie, “that we should have a friend Christmas. Like, before we all go home for the holidays. We could do a white elephant thing since we don’t all know each other too well.”

“Could be fun,” Nico says.

“I like the idea. I already know what I’m going to bring,” Will says. He grins at Nico, pressing his cheek to Nico’s shoulder. Nico kisses his forehead. He wonders how he ever survived with Theo when he feels like he needs to be with Will almost every minute of the day, when every time Will does something he can’t help but smile. The first week or so, his lips had been sore from giving into the urge to kiss Will every time he saw him. (It also helped that Will blushed every time they kissed - lips, cheeks, forehead, hands - and Nico thought it was adorable.)

“You two should get a room,” Jason says.

Nico shrugs. “We have a room,” he says gesturing to the living room.

“You know what I mean,” Jason huffs. He’s not grumpy because he’s smiling. That and it’s hard to look grumpy with a cookie shoved into your mouth. “Piper will be here in half an hour,” he adds. “So find a different room. Preferably, the bedroom.”

Will tenses up a bit against Nico’s side. Ever since their first kiss (the one over Thanksgiving), they haven’t been in a bedroom. They mostly just hang out on the couch or in the kitchen or at the park. They’ve been on one official date that Reyna planned for them: a mini-Christmas tree workshop that Will absolutely adored.

The bedroom translated into certain things for Will, and he wasn’t ready for that yet. To be honest, Nico wasn’t quite ready either. It’d been years since he’d even seen Will shirtless, and the sight of Will fully clothed was enough to send his mind into hyperdrive.

“We can play video games,” Nico suggests. As he gets out the controllers and turns on the console, Will relaxes. They play five rounds of Mario Kart before Piper shows up. Then she joins in and kicks their butt on every track.  
-  
The Christmas holidays bring Jason’s white elephant party to fruition. Which is how Nico and Will got stuck in the kitchen making more batches of cookies at one time than Nico has ever wanted to make. He thinks they’re on the fourth right now. Will’s got flour on his cheek and down his shirt, and Nico’s got a weird stain he thinks is egg white on his pants. But he doesn’t care because Will smells like cinnamon and sugar, and he tastes just as sweet.

“Okay, everyone should be here in fifteen minutes or so. So no PDA,” Jason says. He’s wearing a Santa hat and an ugly Christmas sweater that must have been on the clearance rack. At least Nico’s ugly sweater is actually kind of cute. And Will’s Christmas sweater is adorable.

Poinsettias are on the tables, and Nico’s mini-Christmas tree is decorated, a few presents underneath its tiny branches. Poppy is curled up on Nico’s bed. Nico can’t tell if Will is anxious about being around so many people that he doesn’t quite know, but he tells himself to watch for if it gets to be too much.

Reyna is the first to arrive with a small gift wrapped in green paper. She’s not wearing a sweater, but she does have reindeer antlers on her head. She winks at Will before stealing a cookie or two from the cooling rack. Will slaps at her hand, shoving a cookie into his own mouth.

“My cookies,” he laughs. “I helped bake them.”

“We both know I can eat more cookies,” Reyna says. Will’s face turns a bit red at this like he’s remembering some unfortunate defeat. Apparently, he and Reyna sometimes engaged in mini-contests with victories that they could hold over each other’s heads for years.

“There will be no food contests tonight,” Jason calls. “I don’t deal with vomit too well.” Reyna rolls her eyes, grabbing another cookie before going to the fridge to set out the drinks. Over the last month or so, she’d made herself quite at home in Nico and Jason’s apartment.

Piper arrives next with Percy and Annabeth, and then everyone’s here. Nico takes Will’s hand, moving them to sit on the couch. Reyna sits next to Will, and Nico can feel some of Will’s anxiety ease. There are only seven people in the room, but it feels full.

“I’ll go first,” Piper says. She reaches for a nicely wrapped box. Pulling it open, she discovers a plethora of blue candies. “I’m guessing this was Percy’s idea,” she says.

“Really, Percy? I told you no blue food,” Annabeth says. Percy just shrugs. “What happened to the ornament you were going to bring?”

“Gave it to Mom,” he says. Annabeth sighs. “Besides, everyone loves blue food.”

No one argues with him as he chooses the next gift. He gets a snow globe of New York City. Annabeth goes next, eyeing the gifs already chosen. She unwraps her gift, finding a simple mug with a cartoon cat on it. Nico swears he sees Will’s eyes light up. Nico goes next, stealing the cat mug from Annabeth. Annabeth goes again, this time getting a smiley face pillow. Then it’s Will’s turn. He steals the cat mug from Nico.

“Hey,” Nico whines.

Will smiles, kissing Nico’s cheek. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he whispers. Nico feels himself blush, both from the endearment and the kiss. Nico picks up the second to last gift, a leather journal.

“Guess I’ll go last,” Jason says. “Wonder what this could be.” He opens the last present to find an empty scrapbook. “I feel like Nico should have gotten this,” he says.

“I don’t scrapbook, Grace,” Nico says. He turns to Will. “Which of these items was yours?”

Will blushes a bit, holding the mug close to him. “Guess,” he says. His breath is sweet from the five cookies he’d eaten earlier. Nico glances around at all of the gifts.

“You brought that mug, didn’t you?” He laughs, rolling his eyes. “I got the snow globe.” Will smiles, pecking Nico’s cheek again.

While Piper cleans up the wrapping paper, Annabeth puts in a movie. She and Jason have a list made up already of all of the movies they’re going to watch tonight. So Nico gets comfortable on the couch, grabbing a tin of cookie for him and Will to share. He smiles when he feels Will’s head on his shoulder, Will’s hand in his. Their intertwined hands are hidden underneath the blanket, but it’s still special to Nico.

Halfway through Frosty, Reyna smiles at Nico. “I’m glad you apologized,” she says. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“Thanks for giving me a second chance,” he says. He’s pretty sure if Reyna barred him from seeing Will, he’d never have ended up here. And maybe Will would have found happiness another way. But maybe, Nico thinks, things are just meant to work out in the end.

Five years ago, he thought everything fell apart. But maybe they were just falling into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will probably be the last fic in this work just because I've run out of room in the table of contents. :) All prompts I have received so far are still in the works :) Thank you for all of your support and encouragement :) it means a lot to me :)
> 
> I have made a multi-chapter fic of this prompt. The link is here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15003650/chapters/34775153

**Author's Note:**

> comments are appreciated


End file.
